Mitch pushes statewide kindergarten

[hippiechick]

Whoa, he's actually doing something I approve of! :wow:


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061128/LOCAL19/611280420

Daniels: Commit to kindergarten
Governor says he won't accept a full-day pilot program


Indiana needs to act now to make full-day kindergarten a reality statewide, Gov. Mitch Daniels said Tuesday in some of his strongest remarks yet on the proposal. "I don't want a pilot project," Daniels said Monday after the Indiana Education Roundtable debated full-day kindergarten. "This is the year we make an absolutely irrevocable commitment. Pilot projects -- the time for that has passed."

Daniels, who will outline his plan for full-day kindergarten Dec. 5, said he wants the program to be offered in every school district, available to any family who wants it. The only question, he said, is "how quickly we get there."

<snip>

Monday, Sen. Earline S. Rogers, D-Gary, a roundtable member, was impatient. "Full-day kindergarten is not cutting edge. We're sitting here as if we're doing something monumental or something that no other state has done," she said. "I just don't understand what the problem is."

The data is there to support the need, Rogers said. Whether the program is launched in every district or is instead phased in will depend on how much money is available, she said.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

1. Wow - just amazed they don't have it already. I grew up in CT

and they had it a million years ago when I was there...

[hippiechick]

2. I KNOW!!!

:spank: Can you imagine how incredibly hard it must be to teach a first grade class ??



:hi:

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. Yes = my niece in CT actually flunked out of kindergarten last

year - she was expected to read and speak some spanish

[democraticinsurgent]

4. What A Nice Way to Honor the Legacy of Frank O'Bannon

In fact, I suggest that the Gov have the act named after our late and much beloved Democratic former Governor, who pushed and pushed for FDK year after year, only to be blocked by Republicans at each and every turn.

Meantime Mitch deserves a lot of credit for picking up the Democratic baton. It's probably the smartest thing he's done yet.

[Jokerman]

5. My thoughts EXACTLY!

And I REALLY like the idea of calling it the Frank O'Bannon act.

[AwakeAtLast]

6. Teacher chiming in

I think this will be wonderful IF IT IS FUNDED CORRECTLY!!! I am not holding my breath that Mitch will actually do that. If they force it on us without proper funding, it will just force cuts someplace else. Let's just hope is gets done right! :hi:

[dapper]

7. My son is going into K

This year!!! Unless something changes, kindergarten will only be a half day for him. Luckily for me, my wife works from home- otherwise we would have to enroll him in some after school programs.

It is much better to have full day kindergarten in this day and age since both parents need to work.

I know the last posting for this was in the end of Nov... where was I?? :-)

Dapper