Full-Day Kindergarten Makes a Big Splash
Enrollment figures outdistance district expectation as universal FDK gets ready to start.
“Leading the Way with Full-Day K!” That’s the message that has been greeting motorists along Route 1 and I-95 this month from two Clear Channel electronic billboards. And, judging by enrollment figures from the Bensalem Township School District, that exclamation point reflects the community’s enthusiasm. Last year the district enrolled 120 students in full-day kindergarten classes, while 313 others had to attend half-day classes. Then, the district was successful in reaching a longtime goal of instituting universal full-day K. That means all students have access to the program, not just those who won a lottery drawing, eliminating the obvious disparity. “Last year we serviced 120 students. This year, to date, 464 students have registered…
Porter Randolph
1:42 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Let's stop and think about this for a minute. Great districts like Council-Rock, Pennsbury, and Neshaminy don't have universal FDK. What does Bensalem know that they don't. It's pretty obvious that Bensalem calculated the inflated cost of funds they have to pay charter schools for these same kids, and figured they could save money. Pretty smart, but let's not make this out to be about better … more ›