Enrollment figures outdistance district expectation as universal FDK gets ready to start.
- BUSINESS
-
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
“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…
Current lottery system, with haves and have-nots, deemed unfair.
- SCHOOLS
-
Saturday, March 31, 2012
In a competitive world, young children and the Bensalem School District both need full-day kindergarten. That was the message Wednesday night as the Board of Education approved universal full-day kindergarten for next school year. The action means the district has moved on from a pilot partial kindergarten program that utilized an enrollment lottery that everyone agreed was unfair to those youngsters who didn't "win." The program is expected to cost $613,000 for 20 classes with 24 students in each. But supporters, including Superintendent David Baugh, said the district can not afford not to have full-day classes for all kindergartners at the district's six elementary schools. Stacy Kutner, a former member of the full-day kindergarten …
40.140734
-74.92483
Bensalem Township School District
3000 Donallen Dr, Bensalem, PA
/articles/school-board-approves-universal-full-day-kindergarten
859046
/locations/6701861
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 ›