All-Day Kindergarten: Is it a Possibility in Plainfield?

This story was written by Patch Editor Shannon Antinori

On Monday, District 202 announced some good financial news: For the first time in five years, the district is anticipating a budget surplus.

Several parents reacted to the news by taking to the Plainfield Patch Facebook page to ask whether the surplus funding means all-day kindergarten could come to District 202.

"Great!," Carrie Mizwicki Staub wrote. "When [does] full time kindergarten start?" Another parent wrote, "Does anyone know if full time kindergarten is a possibility in the future?"

While it could happen in years to come, for now, the answer is no, according to District 202 Community Relations Director Tom Hernandez.

Currently, the district offers a full-day kindergarten program for special education students only; a traditional half-day program remains in place for regular education students.
 
In 2011, the board of education included all-day kindergarten in the district's long-term strategic plan. 

Read: Board to Explore Longer School Day, All-Day Kindergarten

Right now, the district simply doesn't have the physical space its existing buildings to house an all-day kindergarten program, according to Hernandez. The district also doesn't have the money it would take to hire full-time kindergarten staff.

"The simple answer is money," Hernandez said in an email. "The current Five Year Strategic Plan calls for us to study the possibility of implementing a full-day kindergarten. However, that would basically require us to double the number of kindergarten teachers, and find more classrooms for kindergarten."

But that doesn't mean all-day kindergarten will never come to District 202.

"It is a valid question, and we will be studying it some time in the next few years to give the board information to consider," Hernandez said.

Last year, nearby Valley View School District launched an all-day kindergarten program, spending $12.3 million on renovations and additions to its 12 elementary school campuses. That didn't include the cost of hiring around 20 new kindergarten teachers to staff the program.

Read: 'This is a Big Step': VVSD Board Approves All-Day Kindergarten

According to Valley View, students who participated in the new program, which launched in August 2012, showed higher growth in reading and math than their half-day counterparts.

Although Valley View initially considered charging a monthly fee for the full-day program, the board ultimately decided to go with a one-time fee of $200, which includes books and registration. District 202's half-day kindergarten fee is $88; the full-day program for special education students costs $125.

Related: How Much Does That Free Education Really Cost You?

Some Plainfield parents wondered if District 202 students are missing out.

"Plainfield kids are at a serious disadvantage because of this," Sarah Leach Joanis wrote on Facebook.

But another mom disagreed.

"They are not," Eleonora Ciaccio wrote. "At 5 kids need to play outside and have fun. They have a life time of learning!"