“The overwhelmingly positive results from the study are impossible to ignore,” Sen. Sokola said. “Providing full-day kindergarten to all eligible students will ensure that Delaware school children are getting an adequate head start in achieving the state’s educational standards and building a solid foundation for future learning.”

Results of a study conducted under the direction of Professor Michael Gamel-McCormick of the University of Delaware’s College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy indicate better student outcomes overall for those attending full-day programs as compared to students in half-day programs. Most notably, the analysis revealed that by the end of the current school year, full-day kindergarten students achieved 6 of 8 kindergarten standards more often than part-day kindergarten students. Additionally, the researchers found that students in full-day kindergarten programs:

• had stronger literacy skills;
• spent significantly more time on science and writing instructions;
• spent more time participating in high-level cognitive instructional activities and creative activities such as art,  music, and movement.

“The results of the study speak strongly to the mission and goals of the KIDS caucus, said Representative Melanie Marshall. “We’ve shown that full-day kindergarten can have a tremendous positive impact on children’s development. Therefore it makes good public policy to make sure that we provide the opportunity for all children, regardless of income or where they live in our state to receive the benefits of full-day kindergarten.” The Kids Caucus is a bipartisan group of legislators with active participation from members of all four caucuses who are working to develop public policies that will ensure that every child born in Delaware gets a good start in life in areas ranging from good health care to proper day care and early education.

Delaware law currently requires kindergarten-eligible children to attend half–day kindergarten programs. Public school districts receive funding based on the cost of providing half-day kindergarten. Several school districts in Delaware, recognizing how important full-day kindergarten is, have, on their own, found the money to fund full-day kindergarten for every child. Some school districts offer the option of full-day kindergarten at a cost to the parents. If enacted, this bill would require school districts, by the start of the 2008-2009 school year, to offer any kindergarten-eligible child full-day kindergarten funded by an appropriation from the General Assembly. It is anticipated that Governor Ruth Ann Minner’s budget will include funding sufficient to implement the second phase of her goal of implementing full-day kindergarten statewide by 2008. The additional funding will help expand existing operations and fund building costs associated with operating full-day kindergarten programs.

“I’m convinced this is a move that will provide Delaware students a solid foundation on which to begin their academic careers” Rep. Maier said. “Our public schools have improved in recent years and full-day kindergarten will further enhance those efforts.”   As a former first grade teacher, Senator Liane M. Sorenson understands the importance of children coming to first grade ready to learn in a full-day environment. “I think the study results speak for themselves about the ability of a full-day to impact children positively.”