Randolph approves full-day kindergarten

The Randolph School District is switching to full-day kindergarten, effective for the upcoming 2015-16 school year.

The Board of Education approved the resolution at Tuesday night’s meeting, citing a desire to meet Common Core standards and better develop students’ educational and social growth as reasons for the change. The change in September will be a first for the township.

“The thought process is, if the instruction is great at three hours, wouldn’t six and a half hours be even better?” Superintendent David Browne said, adding that full-day kindergarten is becoming the norm in New Jersey. “The state has said that 82 percent of kindergarten in New Jersey is now full-time.”

Browne said discussions about moving from a half-day to a full-day program began several months ago when he asked the four elementary school principals what full-day kindergarten would look like at their schools. All provided feasible, affordable plans and Browne decided to move forward.

Browne said from a financial standpoint, three prongs were considered — facilities, transportation and personnel.

“We can manage the cost that comes with changing to full-day kindergarten,” Browne said. “We will be as ‘close-to-flat’ financially as possible. We’re not coming up with two or three million to make it work.”

By eliminating the mid-day bus runs to transport half-day kindergarteners to and from school, the district will save $88,000 per year, Browne said.

Browne projects adding 11 full-time kindergarten sections and teachers across the four buildings. Currently there are 14 half-day sections. The 11 new projected sections will be added to the current half-day sections, which will combine to create seven full-day sections, for a total of 18.

Browne said due to elementary enrollment decline, space will not be a major issue.

“We project at least a flat enrollment or a little downward trend in attendance. We are prepared to enroll a few more students who would have went to a private full-day kindergarten if we still had half-day,” Browne said. “There won’t be any ‘art or music on a cart’ because of any space issues. There will be dilution of some walls and two of the four schools will cost a little more to retrofit.”

Browne called the move to full-day kindergarten a “systemic change” that will positively affect students in later years. He said teachers will be expected to be better prepare students academically for first grade, which will have a ripple effect for years down the line.

“We have a phenomenal staff that will only improve instruction going forward in grades,” Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Fano said. “We will build a stronger foundation through teacher input and best practices.”

Browne stressed that just because the day will more than double in length does not mean the work will also increase twofold.

“We pay attention to the research. We will not double the rigor and beat kids up with reading and math,” Browne said. “The goal is not to make every student a fluent reader leaving kindergarten. That’s a third grade goal. There will be creative play, interactive socialization with peers, things that the research suggest have long-term academic benefit.”

Still, the Common Core Standards, adopted in New Jersey in 2010, “absolutely” played a factor in the decision to switch to full-day kindergarten, according to Browne.

Per the state standards website, by the time students leave kindergarten they should be able to add and subtract up to the number 10, write numbers up to 20 and write some words. Forty-three states have adopted the Common Core Standards, per the website.

Browne understands there are advantages and disadvantages to both half- and full-day kindergarten, but that the vast majority of experts now say full-day is the better option.

“You can pick any topic in public education and can find both sides of an issue. For every one person saying full-day is not necessary there are 10 or more saying it’s good,” Browne said. “What it hinges on, is it designed with student needs in mind and delivered efficiently? We’re taking care to do it well.”

One popular argument for keeping half-day kindergarten is the claim that it serves as a bridge to a full day of school, an argument Browne does not agree with.

“We find most kids are coming from a half-day preschool into kindergarten. Some are coming from a full day and actually taking a step backward,” Browne said. “So I think it’s a somewhat dated notion that kindergarten serves as a bridge.”

In his presentation to the board, Browne cited a fact sheet compiled by the Children’s Defense Fund, a child advocacy group.

The study said children in full-day kindergarten have a better educational outcome and give teachers more time to connect and work with students.

Browne also pointed to studies that showed more instruction and a more consistent schedule, with parents reporting a higher level of satisfaction as another benefit of full-day kindergarten.

For more information or to see the presentation made to the board, visit http://www.rtnj.org/files/1955319/fulldayk_factsheet.pdf and http://www.rtnj.org/files/1955319/fulldayk_overview.pdf.

To see a copy of the resolution, visit http://www.rtnj.org/files/news/full%20day%20kindergarten%20resolution%20%2801464189%29.pdf.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@dailyrecord.com