Timberlane school board recommends warrant article to add tuition-free, full-day kindergarten

The Timberlane Regional School District school board recommended by an 8-0 vote that voters approve a warrant article to amend the district's articles of agreement to add kindergarten to the district's responsibilities and to require tuition-free, full-day kindergarten, board members and staff said at a public hearing. The proposed amendment also references transportation consistent with RSA 189:8 and specifies that adoption would require a two-thirds vote by district voters.

Board members and staff told attendees that the article is intended to make full-day kindergarten a district responsibility and to align the articles of agreement with current and proposed practice. "If you have an extra $450 a month, then your kid can get the extended day kindergarten, the full day kindergarten. But if you don't, then they can't," Kim McCormack, a school board member and member of the ad hoc kindergarten committee, said, describing equity concerns that motivated the change.

The nut graf: supporters argued the change would equalize early learning opportunities and let the district identify and serve students earlier; critics and several public commenters said the warrant language lacks a dollar figure and could force taxpayers to pay for full-day kindergarten without the…