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Board hears warning that proposed 25% cut to Transition to Kindergarten could cut 1,800 state slots
Summary
District principal warned the board that a governor’s budget proposal to cut Transition to Kindergarten funding by 25% could eliminate about 1,800 slots statewide; locally the district serves 48 TTK students across three classrooms and maintains a wait list.
Colleen Frakes told the board that the district’s Transition to Kindergarten (TTK) program serves 48 children in three classrooms and that targeted screening and intervention produce measurable gains: about 80% of TTK children were off‑track in all six readiness domains in fall screening, and after TTK intervention a large share showed measurable readiness gains.
Frakes cautioned that the governor’s proposed budget includes a 25% reduction in TTK funding, which she said would eliminate roughly 1,800 TTK slots statewide if enacted. “There’s a proposal of cutting funding for TTK by 25%,” she said, adding that the change could reduce access for many children who otherwise qualify for the program.
Locally, Frakes said TTK prioritizes children who lack access to other early‑learning programs; the district selects 48 highest‑need children via screening and a ranked wait list and uses levy dollars to supplement paraeducator costs that state funding does not cover. She urged sensitivity as lawmakers weigh budget choices and noted she had testified to the legislature on the program’s effectiveness.
Board members asked about potential levy funding to expand TTK. Frakes said levy funds already supplement paraeducator costs and that state funding typically covers classroom teachers but not the additional staff that make the program feasible.
The board did not vote on funding changes. Frakes and district staff said they will continue to monitor proposed state budget actions and report back.
