Milton is on the 4K fence
Podcast Episode
A decision on four-year-old Kindergarten in the Milton School District could be made in the coming months. Superintendent Bernie Nikolay says he plans to ask the school board for a vote in December or January. Kyle Geissler reports. You can read more in Wednesday's Janesville Gazette.
If you go
What: Milton School Board meeting to discuss 4-year-old kindergarten
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14.
Where: Milton High School, 114 W. High St.
MILTON — Why have 4-year-old kindergarten in Milton?
One reason, the superintendent says, is student retention.
"We feel that we have and will continue to lose new families if we can't compete in the 4K programming," Bernie Nikolay said Tuesday.
Many questions remain about the proposal, however, and the school board should decide if it philosophically supports 4K before the administration commits more effort to answering them, Nikolay said.
Nikolay, Director of Instruction Randy Bartels and Director of Special Education Krista Jones discussed their research into 4K with the school district's curriculum committee Tuesday. Business Manager Dianne Meyer offered a preliminary financial analysis.
The committee approved sending the issue to the full board Sept. 14, even though two of the three committee members said they are on the fence about 4K.
Nikolay first brought 4K before the board in January. Eighty percent of Wisconsin districts offer the program, including every district that touches Milton except Evansville, he said.
Nikolay said 4K helps prepare children for kindergarten and beyond, especially those children whose parents can't afford private preschool. It helps districts identify and support special-education students earlier and teach English to students who don't speak it fluently, administrators said.
Plus, a 4K program would benefit the district financially because it tends to bring in more state aid than it costs in the long run, Nikolay said.
Since January, administrators have researched the issue among other districts, Milton staff and local day-care providers.
A survey of day-care providers found strong support for early education but concerns about how a district-run program would affect their businesses, Jones said.
Of the 10 providers that answered the survey, six said they'd be interested in holding 4K classes at their sites. Three said their sites are too small for 4K, and one, a Montessori school, says it uses a multi-age approach that might not work for 4K.
The biggest questions among providers are how the programs would be staffed and how the district would compensate the centers. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requires licensed early-education teachers to teach 4K.
District kindergarten teachers were enthusiastic about a possible 4K program, Bartels said.
The curriculum committee didn't express the same enthusiasm. Jan Bue-Wells and Bob Cullen said they are undecided if Milton should have a program. Jon Cruzan said he is in favor of it.
Bue-Wells sent her children to preschool, but preschool isn't right for every child, she said. Even though 4-year-old kindergarten wouldn't be mandatory, she is afraid it would feel that way to parents.
"Once that's the norm, you feel like you have to do it," she said. "That being said, there are certainly kids who could benefit from a 4K program."
Cullen said he is concerned about start-up costs.
Nikolay isn't asking the board to approve a final plan in September, he said. Rather, he wants to know if the board favors bringing 4K to Milton so administrators know if they should put together a plan.
If the board approves moving forward, Nikolay plans to present a final plan for approval in December or January. The goal would be to start a 4K program in September 2010, he said.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON 4K
Here are some questions from the Milton School District Curriculum Committee and their answers from administrators at Tuesday's meeting about 4-year-old kindergarten.
Q: How much would a 4K program cost?
A: The state offers aid based on a three-year enrollment average, so Milton wouldn't get the full amount of aid for 4-year-old kindergarteners until the third year of the program.
However, after three years, the district probably would receive more aid for 4K than the program costs, Business Manager Dianne Meyer said.
If the district hires its own teachers and aides for the program, it would cost about $861,000 in the first year for staff, supplies and transportation. If the day-care centers provide the staff, it would cost about $528,000.
The district probably would use reserve funds to pay for the costs in the first and second years, Superintendent Bernie Nikolay said. State grants could offset some of the costs.
Q: What would 4K in Milton look like?
A: The program would be community-based, meaning 4K classes would meet at private day-care centers around the district. Students would go to school four half-days a week, with the fifth day set aside for community outreach.
Administrators envision eight sites offering morning and afternoon options with about 15 children in each class. The curriculum would be "play-based."
Q: Who would teach the classes?
A: That's yet to be decided. The Department of Public Instruction requires 4K teachers to be licensed, but they could be employed by the school district or the day-care centers.
Q: Could classes be held at religious day-care centers?
A: Yes. Faith-based centers could host 4K programs as long as they don't provide religious instruction during the 4K classes. Churches in other districts that host 4K programs often provide optional religious instruction before or after the official 4K classes.
Aug 27, 2009 at 4:21 p.m.
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To mespl: I have done a great deal of research into 4K and have found the same studies which negate any "edge" 4K (or full day 5K) students have over their cohorts by grade 3 as well.
If 4K is such a boon, how is it that Milwaukee, which has had 4K for nearly 20 years, is such a failing district? You quote California studies. There's a great school system to use for an example. The teachers can't even make a living, despite having the highest pay in the nation, because of the high cost of living.
The plain truth is that 4K (and 3K as well) is based on the High Scope Perry Preschool study done in the 60s. It was the only study I have seen in which true controls were used and as scientific a method as possible was employed to evaluate the importance of pre-school FOR AT RISK CHILDREN. That is an important clause to ponder. There are impressive social and economical gains seen in this study. But these apply only to AT RISK POPULATIONS, since that is what was studied. It was also flawed from the standpoint of limited participation. Subsequent studies I have seen have been even more inferior in their scientific approach. As a scientist, I conclude that educators simply are not of a mind to implement well controlled studies OR the data don't exist. There have been sufficient opportunities to do such studies. I just think the data would not bear out the need for universal 4K. What should be done, as I preached loudly and often in Evansville, is to utilize the money to find and provide preschool for those students whose parents can't or won't provide for them. So what happened? Last year they discontinued our Head Start classrooms, despite our growing poverty demographic. The ways of the government are unfathomable.
Aug 27, 2009 at 3:32 p.m.
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raystone: Unfortunately your argument is invalid and incorrect. The studies linked and quoted below disprove your statement. I had this very same argument with someone yesterday if you are interested in the specifics of the argument here is the link to this article posted yesterday.
http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-ne...
Please stick to provable facts not arguments that are very easy to disprove.
Hear this article tells long term benefits and has links to the two major studies that were used to get the list I am quoting below.
“In the long-term, studies show that children who attend high-quality pre-k are: more likely to graduate from high school; more likely to be employed; more likely to earn a higher income; less likely to need public assistance; more likely to lead healthy lives; and less likely to become involved in crime.”
http://www.preschoolcalifornia.org/makin...
"In a recent pre-K study marked improvements have been shown in reading, writing, and spelling skills; Early Head Start students show improved child growth as well, including more family support for children’s learning."
Sources are given in the article.
http://www.educationatlas.com/head-start...
Simple google search got me the government report summery linked below. This is a part of quoted text: “While it is difficult under Wisconsin's current assessment system to draw meaningful large-scale conclusions about the impact of 4K programming on children’s development, data from the national SWEEP study as well as data collected by individual districts seem to indicate that four-year-old Kindergarten is benefiting the development of participants.” That took me 1 minute to find. Try searching before you say that there is no research done.
http://dpi.wi.gov/fscp/pdf/ec-impact-dev...
Aug 27, 2009 at 2:51 p.m.
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4k is taxpayer funded daycare. And research shows any "head start" from 4k learning is equalized with non 4k children by the time they reach 3rd grade. If you want your 4 year old to socialize, take them to the park.
Aug 27, 2009 at 1:27 p.m.
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Milton school board is taxing to the maximum allowed by state because if they don’t then the maximum that they can tax for next year has a lower increase. They will always tax to the maximum because it insures the maximum increase for the following year. They might as well provide additional services for the additional amount taxed.
Aug 27, 2009 at 1:26 p.m.
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mrsjoe- mandatory school enrollment starts at 6 years old.
See page 5 question 13 at http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/pdf/schlattendqa.....
Aug 27, 2009 at 1:13 p.m.
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When do we let childern stay childern for awhile? Instead lets just send them off to school to be turned into robots. Let the childern be childern for a short time in their lives for Gods sake. With things being what they are and money so tight I cannot fantom school boards looking for more ways to spend money. Wake up elected officals we are not an endless lake of money here...give us a break. And on top of that Milton's school board is going to tax for the max allowed by state law....lovely...who elected these idiots?
Aug 27, 2009 at 12:15 p.m.
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Deciding this issue is like deciding which leg is most important on a three legged stool.
1. kids get a "head start"
2. Parents get rid of the kids for a few hours, & can actually get something done.
3. Tax burden is disastrous for those retired folks on fixed incomes.[and most others too]
The only way to resolve this is to come to some sort of consensus, because all 3 "legs" are equally important.
Aug 27, 2009 at 8:59 a.m.
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whythink--It's not the kids choice to go to 4k, IT'S THE PARENTS!!! Why are the parents not able to take care of the kids or teach them? Is it because they are not smarter than a 4 year old...NO. It's because they choose to have someone else care for the kids during the day. (day-care) I don't care what they do with their kids but don't ask me to pay for 4k day-care. They choose to make a baby, they get the tax exemption, they should pay for day-care.
Aug 26, 2009 at 11:29 p.m.
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Is Kindergarten still optional? I thought I heard that recently. I think kids should be kids for as long as possible. They have 12 or 13 years of school and then college (if they go). When do they get to just be kids?
Aug 26, 2009 at 10:25 p.m.
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4k has always been on the books in Wisconsin. It has just been in the last 10-15 years that educators have been pushing it. I would much rather see more of my tax dollars go to a Headstart program for those in Milton that cannot afford pre-school then a 4k program that the school district will force down everyones throat and make those parents that choose not to send their to it feel like they are neglecting their child for it. I know of someone that chooses hald day Kindergarden for their children and the hassel she gets is borderline harassment in my mind.
Aug 26, 2009 at 10:10 p.m.
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In a recent survey...4 out of 5, four year olds don't care if they go to 4K or not. Their taxpaying parents DO!!!.
Adding more burden to the tax levy will make more familes leave the district even if 4K is/becomes state law.....
Aug 26, 2009 at 7:34 p.m.
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woody,
.
4 year olds are capable of much more than "day-care" as you put it.
.
In addition, this is a good idea. Socialization is one of the most important aspect of school. Obviously schools sometimes fail, you can find proof on many of these blogs.
Aug 26, 2009 at 6:10 p.m.
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I have two differing opinions on the 4K program. That said, at 4 years old, it should be the parents' choice whether their child is involved or not.
The pros, from my point of view are that... at 4 years old, "most" kids who have been in daycare from birth, get pretty bored of just playing "duck, duck goose" and trying to entertain themselves... day after day with very few challenges. It has been proven that the mind of a child from birth to 5, will learn everything they need to know, to survive. Also, a small child's brain can be compared to a sponge... they learn and retain soooo much, sooo quickly.
The cons... not ALL children are in a daycare setting. If a family is fortunate enough to have a "stay-at-home" Mom, involved with the child daily, I see NO need to force this child to be warehoused with other kids, simply because it fits Wisconsin's objective. Parents have a voice, they have the RIGHT to successfully raise their child, the best way they see fit, within the limits of the law.
The advantages for a child already in the daycare system is mental stimulation when the benefits are most likely to enhance the child's growth experience and socialization.
Not all children are ready though. Even some in standard childcare, just do not grasp the "pigeon-holing" well. They need more time... they need more one-on-one interaction and just are too intimidated to be functional in a 4K setting.
I wish my best, to the Milton school district board. It is difficult to keep the budget under control, without losing our small-town feel. Hang in there... it will all work out for the best... as long as parents are re-assured that they have options.
Quick note... Any family that chooses to pick up and move... simply because their 4 year old can't be in a school setting, in this economy, is free to leave. Knock "yerself" out! If its THAT big of a deal, find a private school!
Aug 26, 2009 at 5:44 p.m.
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Tax payer supplied day-care costs.
If the district hires its own teachers and aides for the program, it would cost about $861,000 in the first year for staff, supplies and transportation. If the day-care centers provide the staff, it would cost about $528,000.
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