Transcript 4 Year Old Kindergarten

Strategies for Financing Quality
Preschool: The Wisconsin Model
Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Elizabeth Burmaster
Governors Forum on Quality Preschool
Presented by NGA Center for Best Practices
December 15-16, 2003
Orlando, Florida
Topics
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History of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K)
Children Served
Financing Model
Program Requirements
Community Approaches
Issues and Benefits
Political Considerations
History: A Constitutional
Commitment to Early Education
• Wisconsin made a constitutional commitment
to early education in 1848
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Article X of the State Constitution called for
school districts to “be as nearly uniform as
practicable and free to all children between
the ages of 4 and 20 years”
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Wisconsin is one of three states that
maintains state funding for 4K
History of Wisconsin’s
Four-Year-Old kindergarten
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1856 – First private kindergarten (two-, three-, four-,
and five-year-olds)
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1927 – State financial aids established for 4K
1957 – State funding for 4K programs repealed
1984 – State funding for 4K renewed
1991 – 4K allowed 20% time for parent outreach
2003 – 42% of school districts operate 4K
Wisconsin 4K in 2003
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Universal but “optional”
Shared commitment:
 two-thirds
 one-third
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state funding
local funds
Promotes community approaches
Recent Legislative Action
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2001 – Legislature voted to reduce funding
for districts operating 4K programs. Former
Republican Governor McCallum vetoed these
provisions.
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2003 – Legislature again voted to cut funding
for districts operating 4K programs. Current
Democratic Governor Doyle vetoed these
provisions.
Children Served
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23% of four-year-olds attend 4K in 42% of
state’s school districts
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16,000 children served by 180 of Wisconsin’s
426 school districts
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1,000 children are served by approximately
80 private schools in Milwaukee Parental
Choice Program
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250 children are served in nine Milwaukee
charter schools
Kindergarten Availability
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When offered, kindergarten must be available
to all children who meet state age
requirements (4 years old by September 1).
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Public schools are required to offer at least
half day to all 5-year-olds.
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Over 90% of Wisconsin public schools offer
full-day 5K.
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School districts have the option of offering 4K.
Revenue Estimates 2002-03
Wisconsin school districts generated an
estimated $65 million in state revenues
for 4K programs
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$44 million in state revenue
$21 million in local revenue
State Funding Formula
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Based on student enrollment
State formula counts a pupil as 0.5 full-time
equivalent in membership aid if program
operates:
a
minimum of 437 hours per year
or
 175
days, 2 1/2 hours per day
Wisconsin’s Formula—Includes
Family Best Practices
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A school district may receive 0.6 FTE in
membership aid if it provides 87.5 additional
hours of family activities in addition to the 437
hours of center-based programming (per
year)
Program Requirements
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All 4K teachers must have a bachelor’s
degree and an early childhood level license
from the Department of Public Instruction
Wisconsin Statutes Require
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Reading and language arts
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Transportation
Mathematics
Social studies
Science
Curriculum specials – music, physical education, art,
etc.
Special education and related services
Wisconsin:
A Local Control State
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4K is universal but “optional”
Local school boards determine:
 Class
size
 Student-teacher
 Early
ratio
entrance policies
 Curriculum
Community Approach:
Engaging the Stakeholders
• Business and civic organizations
• Schools
• Child care
• Head Start
• Parents
• Recreation
• Other programs—Title I, special education,
etc.
Community Approach
Families and their children may have
options from a variety of settings:
 School buildings
 Community sites
 At-home support
Program Delivery:
Traditional School-Based Model
 School
district 4K teacher
 2.5 hour program
 Four or five days a week
 Potential for wrap-around services
or transportation to after-school
programs
Program Delivery:
Community Models
 Community
sites must have licensed
teacher
 School district hires and pays the teacher
in the community setting
 A private program can hire and provide the
teacher under a district contract
 Statutory school requirements apply
Community Approach:
At-Home Support
 When
parents want their four-year-old
to stay at home:
 Parents are linked to educational
activities and/or parenting programs
 Children are not counted for state
reimbursement
Issues
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Competition between programs
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Half-day programs may not meet the needs
of working parents
Stand-alone programs result in children
moving from program to program
Ongoing Needs for
Collaboration
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Quality of curriculum in all settings
Quality of teachers
Developed model early learning standards
Improved access to preservice programs
Benefits of
Wisconsin 4K Funding
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More stable funding source
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Provides equity—available to all children in a
community
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Affordable to parents
Community perspective — “common school
for the common good”
Additional Benefits
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Teachers with a bachelor’s or higher degree
in early childhood education
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Constant/stable workforce; better for children
Increased access to support services and
resources
Political Considerations
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Competition: 4K vs. child care centers
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Investment in early education as budget
priority
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Strong educational leadership by governor
Conflicting values on role of family and
government