By LESLIE COLLINS
Northeast News
September 18, 2013

Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) is considering implementing year-round pre-kindergarten, which would cost about $9,000 per child.

According to KCPS Board of Education (BOE) President Airick West, about 40 percent of KCPS students entering kindergarten are already two years behind in their fundamentals.

During the Sept. 11 KCPS BOE meeting, the Early Childhood Commission gave a presentation on year-round pre-kindergarten. The school district tasked the commission with creating a program that would ensure all five-year-olds within KCPS boundaries would be “socially, emotionally and academically ready for kindergarten.”

Other stipulations included creating a program that could be effectively implemented within 10 years, with some recommendations that could be implemented over the next 12 months, and not be dependent on state or federal funding.

“We want this to be a year-round program. We think that’s important,” said Herbert Kohn, chair of the Early Childhood Commission.

The commission is proposing an eight-hour day for three and four-year-olds with an additional four hours per day for children who need additional care and education. The additional hours would be offered on a sliding fee basis.

“We want this to be accessible for all children,” Kohn told the BOE.

For some families, that would mean free pre-kindergarten, and for others, pre-kindergarten would be offered at a discounted rate, dependent on income.

High quality pre-education providers would operate the program, he said.

The commission’s goal is to offer the year-round pre-kindergarten to 80 percent of eligible children by the fifth year of the program.

“How much does it cost? A lot,” Kohn said. “We have estimated the cost to be somewhere between $8,000 and $9,000 per child.”

Approximately 6,000 children fall into the pre-kindergarten category, and the 80 percent goal would cost $38 million annually to implement. Currently, the district spends $10 million on pre-kindergarten programming.

“That leaves $28 to $32 million we’re going to need to come up with,” he said.

Finding those additional funds could come in the form of a small levy, he said.

Kohn defended the need for a year-round program, saying, “A significant number of children are not emotionally or academically ready for kindergarten. I think it’s also been pretty well established that if a child is not ready for kindergarten, there’s a pretty good chance they’re not going to be reading at grade level by third grade.

“If they’re not reading at grade level by third grade, there’s a pretty good chance they’re never going to get caught up on their skills.”

Being behind academically increases the likelihood of dropping out of high school, which then becomes an economic issue, he said. It results in lost income, a reduced workforce, reduced tax base and a poorer community, he said.

BOE member Crispin Rea said he supports the initiative and that, “We absolutely have to do something.”

The commission plans to present an implementation plan to the board in six weeks.

“We hope that we’re changing the educational achievement landscape of your district,” Kohn said. “It has a potential to change in a dramatic way the economics of our community. If everything goes right, not only will you retain the parents who are thinking of leaving the district, but if this program is a good program and an accessible program, you may even see people coming back to the district. Maybe the district will become a beacon for people who want to come back so they can participate in the early childhood program.”