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Board hears proposal for three‑class hybrid full‑day kindergarten; administration to return with budget details
Summary
District leaders proposed a hybrid full‑day kindergarten for 2025‑26 — three sections (two at East High, one at Bainbridge) — funded conditionally with Ready to Learn grant dollars; the board asked administration to provide a detailed budget, transportation costs and grant eligibility before any decision.
Elizabethtown Area School District administrators, kindergarten teachers and curriculum staff presented a hybrid full‑day kindergarten proposal at the Feb. 11 workshop, describing an option that would place three full‑day classes in the district for 2025‑26 (two at East High and one at Bainbridge).
Why it matters: early literacy research and local child‑care shortages were cited by presenters as motivating factors. Administrators asked the board for feedback and funding direction before a formal vote; the board requested a detailed budget and grant‑eligibility information.
Presentation highlights and structure - The district proposed three full‑day kindergarten classrooms across two elementary campuses: two at East High and one at Bainbridge, using existing classroom space and minimal staff shifting. Presenters said the hybrid avoids the building addition that a full district‑wide rollout would have required. - Curriculum: teachers said the district already owns the curricular materials (CKLA for foundational and knowledge instruction; Eureka math; Mystery Science) and that full‑day time blocks would better allow staff to implement those programs as designed rather than condensing lessons to fit a half‑day schedule. - Screening and selection: families of registered kindergarteners would be surveyed for interest; all students must attend the district screening week (May 27–30). Students would be assessed and placed into four readiness categories; seats would be filled by lottery designed to create classrooms with a mix (presenters described 40% proficient/advanced, 20% at benchmark, 20% below, 20% well below), and families would be notified in early to mid‑June. - Evaluation: the district would track benchmark assessments (October, February, May), attendance, behavior referrals and teacher/family feedback. Presenters said cohorts could be monitored over time to inform future decisions.
Funding and constraints - District leaders said they hope to use Ready to Learn (state) funding — a recurring teaching and learning grant the presenters said has historically supported full‑day kindergarten programs — to cover the cost of teacher salaries for the three sections. Administrators noted that if that foundational Ready to Learn allocation does not exist in future years, the hybrid could not proceed. - The administration acknowledged transportation costs would rise because midday transportation is not currently provided; presenters said transportation is not an eligible Ready to Learn expense and would be a district cost to quantify.
Board response and next steps Board members voiced support for full‑day kindergarten in principle but raised concerns including fairness (a hybrid creates two cohorts), long‑term funding certainty, transportation costs, and potential space impacts if local enrollment grows. The board asked administration to return with: an itemized tentative budget showing how Ready to Learn funds would be used; clarification on how many years the grant could be sustained for this purpose; and transportation cost estimates. The administration agreed to provide the requested materials before a decision is placed on a future agenda.
Closing note: presenters emphasized early literacy research, child‑care shortages in the district and existing curricular resources as reasons the district could expand time on early learning if funding is secured.
