Attention Montana Residents- We’d like to ask you for a Letter of support for Full Time Kindergarten (SB123)

Please send your letters in support of SB123 http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/billhtml/SB0123.htm#About

Talking points are below. We are especially looking for letters from business people that touch on areas of interest in terms of preparing a ready workforce and how that must start early.

Please email [email protected] or fax your letters to gloria at 406.563.5476 by 9:00am, Wednesday, January 10th.

Thank you!

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Full-Time Kindergarten

· Full-Time Kindergarten is a proven way to improve student learning for all children starting school

· Full-Time Kindergarten levels the playing field for disadvantaged kids who enter school already behind

· Full-Time Kindergarten is an effort to close the achievement gap and lower the dropout rates

Benefits

· Higher test scores and greater progress in reading, math, and general learning skills

· Fewer behavior problems, grade retentions and special education placements

· Significant gains in social and emotional development

· Long term studies show reduced use of correctional and social services, higher adult literacy rates, and higher level of schooling completed

· Financial benefits include: cost savings from fewer student retentions and reduced school transportation costs from reduced busing of half-day kindergarten students

Superintendent McCulloch’s Full-Time Kindergarten Plan:

· Authorizes the state to give schools that voluntarily choose to provide Full-Time Kindergarten full payment for each child enrolled instead of the half payment they currently receive. The cost is estimated at $25 million for the 2009 biennium.

· Maintains local control of schools. Local school boards would still have the option to provide Full-Time Kindergarten based on a districts’ budget, facilities, and staff, and would be responsible for implementing it in a way that most benefits their students and their school system.

· Preserves parental rights. Parents would not be required to enroll their child in a kindergarten program, but could choose to enroll them in the Full-Time or Half-Time Kindergarten program offered by their local school district.

· Provides $10 million in one-time only startup costs. Some school districts may have difficulty providing Full-Time Kindergarten initially because of staff, budget, or facility limitations. Currently, schools may be running two half time programs using the same educator and the same room. Adding Full-Time Kindergarten would require an additional FTE and an additional classroom, these financial obstacles may be more that the additional ANB funding would cover. The startup costs would help districts overcome the financial barrier.

Gloria O’Rourke, Coordinator

MEDA * 118 E. Seventh St; Suite 2A * Anaconda, MT 59711

Ph: 406.563.5259 Fx: 406.563.5476

email: [email protected]; http://www.medamembers.org

Montana Ambassadors * P.O. Box 722 * Anaconda, MT 59711

Ph: 406.563.5353 Fx: 406.563.5476

email: [email protected];

http://www.montanaambassadors.com