ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN - GOOD FOR LAKE COUNTY?

The Columbus Dispatch has reported Friday http://blog.dispatch.com/dailybriefing/2009/09/senator_wants_allday_k_delay.shtml#more that "The chairman of the Senate Education Committee is pushing to delay Gov. Ted Strickland’s requirement that districts offer all-day kindergarten starting next school year. Under the two-year budget passed in mid-July, all school districts, regardless of test scores or statewide ratings, must offer all-day kindergarten beginning in the fall of 2010, unless they get a waiver from the Ohio Department of Education. Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester, introduced a bill this week that would delay that requirement for one year."

We believe this is misguided. The bills sponsor Senator Cates was quoted in the article as saying “It’s basically giving us some breathing room and hopefully we’ll have some better picture of where we’re focused on resources going into that second year...It was going to become a burden to figure out how to do this.”

Here is the rub. The Dispatch says "A number of school district officials have raised concerns that they do not have the money to hire additional kindergarten teachers nor the space to house the necessary classrooms. Schools are going to have a tough time just doing what they’re doing now." according to Cates.

This is the same political rhetoric that is always used. We don't have the money. That is nonsense at least in Northeast Ohio and Lake County in particular. Over the last decade, most of the school districts in Lake County have experienced unprecedented revenue growth. These districts could in many cases very easily reorganize and find ways to support Governor Strickland's all day kindergarten initiative.

The Dispatch reports that "The bill is drawing fire from a Cleveland-based nonprofit education advocacy group, which noted today that schools can not only get a waiver for the 2010-11 school year, they can also partner with local child care centers to accommodate kindergarten classrooms if space is limited. 'Why should we delay the full-day kindergarten implementation for the entire state if many districts are willing and able to implement this change in 2011?' said Katie Kelly, director of GroundWork. 'Districts who are truly not able to meet that deadline should apply for a waiver, or form new partnerships with the child care providers in their districts.'"

We agree!

Unfortunately if you listen to many of educational leaders whine you will get nothing done - which is a large part of the reason the U.S. and Ohio's educational system is where it is.

As always you can contact us at carecommitteepac@yahoo.com.