Full-Day Kindergarten:

An Option Worth Considering

by Bracken Reed

The newest installment in NWREL’s popular By Request series takes a close look at the pros and cons of full-day kindergarten programs to help parents, teachers, and administrators make informed decisions about this increasingly popular option. Full-Day Kindergarten: Exploring an Option for Extended Learning includes profiles of four regional programs already in place, offering the insights and obser-vations of seasoned practitioners.

Authors Cori Brewster and Jennifer Railsback acknowledge that research on full-day kindergarten is inconclusive due to the difficulty of isolating the effects of extra class time from other important factors. But some recent studies have begun to show at least tentative evidence that extended-day programs can positively influence student achievement, especially for children with limited English skills and those from low-income homes.

Critics of full-day programs often question the readiness of five-year-old children to deal with longer hours and a greater focus on academics. Many fear that "first-grade curriculum will be inappropriately pushed down to kindergarten-age children," or that full-day programs will lead to higher expectations for incoming first-graders, which in turn will lead to increased grade retention at the kindergarten level—"a practice strongly opposed by early childhood experts," the authors say.

Other critics argue that "curriculum and instruction have much more to do with the quality of a child’s kindergarten experience than the length of the school day." While still others take a purely pragmatic approach, arguing that the benefits do not outweigh the extra cost for already-strapped districts.

Brewster and Railsback address each of these criticisms head-on, acknowledging the difficulties, but offering evidence, both from research and actual programs, that supports the many potential benefits. Among the benefits for students and teachers are a more flexible and individualized learning environment; more individual and small-group interaction; more time for parents and teachers to form meaningful partnerships; the ability to explore more subjects indepth; and more time to assess individual students accurately and often.

Single-parent and dual-wage-earner families may benefit from reduced childcare costs and find "less difficulty scheduling childcare and transportation." Low-income families may benefit from high-quality early education programs that might otherwise be unaffordable.

Many of these benefits are evident in the school profiles. At Cascade Elementary School in Chehalis, Washington, for example, teachers say that full-day programs "allow much more time for comprehensive mathematics, reading, and writing curriculum; independent reading; journal writing; and project work." At Whitman Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, teachers also mention the ability to "spend more time developing themes and working on science and art projects."

While much research still needs to be done, and districts need to think carefully about the specific needs of their communities, it’s clear that full-day programs can be beneficial.

To request a free copy, phone 503-275-9720 or e-mail info@nwrel.org. The booklet is also available online at www.nwrel.org/request.