Conclusion

Which kindergarten schedule is best? Probably the easiest answer to this question is still "it depends." Like most issues in education, choosing a kindergarten schedule depends on multiple factors, including the needs of the students to be served; the needs and wishes of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members; and the availability of space, teachers, funding, and other resources necessary to implementing a program successfully.

Given adequate resources and support, and a high-quality kindergarten curriculum, however, there are good arguments for offering students and parents the choice of all-day, everyday kindergarten. Particularly for students from low-income, second language, and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds, full-day kindergarten looks to be a worthwhile investment in moving students toward greater social and academic success. For students who would otherwise make multiple transitions between home, childcare, and school each day, full-day kindergarten offers a more stable, less stressful, stimulating environment in which to learn and grow (Vecchiotti, 2001). As the schools profiled in the following Northwest Sampler demonstrate, there is much to be gained by making full-day kindergarten an option.