There is plenty of research out there that shows early education does not provide benefit to a child unless of course it is spun or done by educrats who would benefit from the tax dollars of said early education programs. That research can be found here, here and here just to name a few. Further research on your own and you would glean not only is early education not a benefit to children it is a waste of taxpayer money.
The Newport School Board needs to do some research into the issue and voters should reject full day kindergarten this spring. If parents and educators want to really help children, some real sacrifices are going to need to be made. Parents are going to have to put their children first. Teachers are going to have to put the interests of the children ahead of the status quo, education fads and the teachers union. Good teachers are going to have to confront bad teachers. Reading, writing and arithmetic must be the primary focus and must be mastered before teaching education fads such as diversity and global warming. When children master the basics children will succeed in mastering subjects such as science and history.
Cathy
The following piece appears in the Eagle Times.
Board backs all-day kindergarten
Money would come from surplus
By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN, Staff Writer
Thursday, January 08, 2009 8:28 PM
NEWPORT -- The Newport School Board voted 3-1 Thursday night to offer a voluntary all-day kindergarten program to the students of Newport as a pilot program for one year starting with the next school year.
If approved by voters, money for the program, estimated to cost $80,000, would come from surplus funds, if any, at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30, and/or donations.
The actual wording for the warrant article for the March school meeting will be finalized before the public hearing on the proposed 2009-10 school budget.
If the article passes and money is available, it will not lock in Newport to funding the full-day kindergarten for more than the next school year. Money after the one-year pilot test would have to be approved by voters.
According to Brannigan, the $80,000 would provide money for one additional teacher plus benefits along with setting up one additional classroom.
Two other kindergarten warrant article options were not approved by the board.
One asked that the school district be authorized to expand the kindergarten program to offer full-day kindergarten when money becomes available.
A second would have authorized a school district vote to appropriate from surplus funds, if any, the sum of $120,000 to offer full-day kindergarten.
Although he is a strong supporter of all-day kindergarten, school board member John LaRock voted against the article favored by the other three board members.
"I believe it sends a message that the board does not support all-day kindergarten. I am not in favor of the article as it reads. I think we will receive criticism. We are sneaking in the back door," he stated.
LaRock said at a retreat last summer the board said very clearly it would pursue full-day kindergarten. "Doing No. 3 alone is not making a statement," he added. LaRock was referencing the article that eventually gained the board's support Thursday night,.
At the suggestion of Jeff Kessler, a member of the Newport Budget Advisory Committee, the board agreed to add in the words "and/or donations" if the entire $80,000 was not available from a budget surplus in June.
There was also a fourth option presented to the board by Brannigan and Business Administrator Jim Vezina. It would have sought authorization to appropriate from the State Adequate Education Grant a half-day call back program to support kindergarten students who need an academic booster program.
"We would be trying to give students extra help," Brannigan said.
Other articles were also discussed that would utilize surplus money, if passed. The importance of placing the kindergarten article ahead of the others was emphasized. If the first special article on the warrant passes and uses all the surplus funds available, there would be no money left to fund any of the others.
Thought of the Day: "Obama Says Sacrifice Needed to Fix Economy, Some Promises Must Be Delayed..." Most people who voted against Obama already knew that he would never be able to fulfill his campaign promises. I just feel sorry for the individuals who actually believed them to be true.
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