Full Day Kindergarten
A Proposal by:
VCS Teachers and Administrators
Made to:
Valparaiso Community Schools Board of Education
For implementation in the 2011-2012 school year
Valparaiso Community Schools
Mission: Valparaiso Community Schools
provides a safe and supportive educational
environment maximizing the learning
potential of each student.
Vision: Valparaiso Community Schools will be at
the forefront of education innovation driving
from excellence to preeminence.
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Background in Kindergarten
• Kindergarten is not required in the State of
Indiana
• School systems are required to provide a
kindergarten program
• In 2003, 25% of students in Indiana attended
full day kindergarten
• In 2010, schools reported that 81% of
students in Indiana attended full day
kindergarten (Dana Jones, IDOE)
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Porter County Statistics
Offers Full Day Kindergarten
No Full Day Option
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• Valparaiso
Union Township
Duneland
Portage
Hebron
East Porter
St. Paul’s
Immanuel
Porter Township
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Top 10 Districts in Indiana
Offer Full Day Kindergarten
• West Lafayette
• Carmel Clay
• Adams Central
• North West Hendricks
• Northwest Allen County
• North Spencer County
• Westfield-Washington
• Center Grove
No Full Day Option
• Zionsville
• Hamilton Southeastern
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Indiana Reading Plan
• 90 Minute Block for Reading Instruction
• 3rd graders not reading on grade level (as
determined by a State test) will be retained
• Starting in the 2011-2012 school year these
retentions will be mandatory unless
exemption is met
– Previously retained twice
– Case conference determination
– LEP score of Level 3 or less in the Reading Domain
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Research about Full Day Kindergarten
• Mrs. Erin Utesch
– Assistant to the Principal, Flint Lake Elementary
School
– Title I Teacher
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Age-Appropriateness
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5-year olds ready for longer day
Structured environment
Less frustration/stress
Immersed in language
– Read aloud
– Reading instruction
– Self-directed activities for long-term learning
http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/mf_PB12_FullDayK.pdf
http://nieer.org/resources/policyreports/report4.pdf
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Retention, Title I & Special Education
• 5-9% fewer retentions
– Carried through primary grades
– Better use of resources
• 19% FDK start-up costs recovered through decreased
retentions
• Fewer Title I & Special Education placements
http://www.doe.in.gov/primetime/fulldaykbenefits.html
http://nieer.org/resources/policyreports/report4.pdf
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Behavioral, Emotional & Social Benefits
• 14 dimensions of classroom behavior
– Students in FDK rated higher in 9 areas, equal in
others
• Improved: independent learning, originality, classroom
involvement, productivity in work with peers, reflectiveness,
attendance and willingness to approach the teacher
• Decreased: withdrawal, anger, shyness, and blaming
behavior
http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/po-05-01.pdf
http://www.doe.in.gov/primetime/fulldaykbenefits.html
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Recent_Research_All/
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content3/full.day.kinder.p.k12.3.html#What
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Diverse Learners
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High Ability Students
More in-depth instruction
Long-term projects
Development of student interests
Academic challenges
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/district/registration/pdfs/AllDayK/AllDayKResearch.pdf
http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/mf_PB12_FullDayK.pdf
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Diverse Learners
At-Risk and Disadvantaged Learners
• Proven to surpass ½ day counterparts by end
of a FDK year
• ECLS-K data: Full-day kindergartners showed a 22
percent advantage in their math score gains and a 32 percent
advantage in their reading score gains. (controlling for poverty
status and their initial abilities)
• Close achievement gap before fully exists
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/guest-bloggers/-the-answer-sheets-guest.html
http://nieer.org/resources/policyreports/report4.pdf
http://www.doe.in.gov/primetime/docs/fulldaykreport.pdf
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Academic Benefits
• 23 studies: significantly greater achievement
than students who attend ½ day
– FDK accounted for 60% of the variance in outcome measures related
to student achievement.
• 17 percentile point advantage on cognitive
achievement tests while in Kdg
• 15 percentile point advantage remains in
grades 1 and 2
• Advantage still indicated in grades 3, 5, 7, 11
http://nieer.org/resources/policyreports/report4.pdf
http://www.doe.in.gov/primetime/fulldaykbenefits.html
http://www.ceep.indiana.edu/projects/PDF/PB_Spring_2005_Full_Day_Kindergarten.pdf
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Recent_Research_All/
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Carmel Clay Findings
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Skills mastered by May in the full-time program exceeded
those in the alternating day program by an average of
6.6%. Math composite gains affected 75% of full-time
students vs. 37% of part-time students.
The earlier mastery of letters and sounds seemed to
positively impact reading and writing skills in the full-time
program.
Teacher observations noted increased confidence levels,
creativity, and interaction with peers in the full-time
program.
A random selection of parent surveys reflected 100% parent
satisfaction.
http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/district/kindergarten/exploring-options
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Kindergarten Screening and Survey
• Mrs. Beth Krutz
– Principal, Central Elementary School
– Leader of the Kindergarten Team
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Pre-KIDS Assessment
Pre-Kindergarten Inventory of Demonstrated
Skills (Pre-KIDS)
• At Round-Up all future students were given
this assessment.
• Purpose: insight on skills of incoming students
• Skills: following directions, mathematics,
language, and reading
Pre-Kids Assessment Data
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14
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# of students that scored less than 50%
# of students that scored between 50 -60%
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# of students that scored between 60 -70%
# of students that scored between 70 -80%
# of students that scored between 80 -90%
# of students that scored between 90 -100%
188
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Survey Results 2011
• 108 completed surveys (as of 5/9/11 at 7 PM)
• Survey of in-coming kindergarten parents
• Would you support a mandatory full day
kindergarten program?
• Support strongly 67.3%
• Support somewhat 12.1%
• Oppose somewhat 7.5%
• Oppose strongly 13.1%
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Survey Results
• If a full-day and half-day kindergarten is
offered next year, which would you most likely
choose for your child?
• Full-day 80.2%
• Half-day 19.8%
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Survey Results
• If half-day kindergarten is offered at a school
other than your home school and you were
required to provide transportation, would you
still choose this option?
• Yes, I would transport my child to half-day
kindergarten. 12.3%
• No, I would have my child attend full-day
kindergarten. 87.7%
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Funding Options
• District Expenditure (ADM + Grant)
– Challenge: Stress to the General Fund if needed
• Title I Expenditure (ADM + Grant + Title I)
– Challenge: Decreases in Title funding and not all students
qualify for Title I funding
• Parent Tuition (ADM + Grant + Tuition)
– Challenge: Not an equal education for all
• Combination (ADM + Grant + Title I + Tuition)
– Lessens General Fund/Title I Stress
– Provides equal access to a high quality education
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Proposal for 2011-2012
• District Funded (ADM + Grant—no additional
cost to the General Fund)
• FDK for all Valparaiso Community Schools
students at their home school
• 4 Sections of FDK at Flint
• 3 Sections of FDK at Central (due to
enrollment size)
• 2 Sections of FDK at:
– Cooks, Hayes, Memorial, Northview, Parkview, TJE
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Locations to Consider
Central: Divide Kindergarten Room into 2 (1871
Sq/Ft Total), Music Room (658 Sq/Ft), Music and
Art share space
Cooks: Kindergarten Room (1357 Sq/Ft) and
Computer Lab (959 Sq/Ft)
Flint: 4 Rooms in the Kindergarten Pod (1147
Sq/Ft, 1121 Sq/Ft, 1137 Sq/Ft, 913 Sq/Ft)
Hayes Leonard: Kindergarten Room (1157 Sq/Ft)
and Computer Lab (948 Sq/Ft)
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Locations to Consider
Memorial: Kindergarten Room (1129 Sq/Ft) and Art
Room (1003 Sq/Ft), Music and Art Share Space
Northview: Kindergarten Room (1158 Sq/Ft), current
3rd grade room (943 Sq/Ft)
Parkview: Kindergarten Room (1250 Sq/Ft), Art/Music
Room (1227 Sq/Ft), Art and Music move to the
computer lab
Thomas Jefferson Elementary: Kindergarten Room
(1247 Sq/Ft) and 5th grade room (981 Sq/Ft)—rooms
moved and conversion of the computer lab
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Alternate Locations Considered
Portable Classrooms vs. Computer Lab
– Cooks Corners
– Hayes Leonard
– Northview
– Parkview
– Thomas Jefferson Elementary
Cost for portable vs. Cost for computer lab
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Staffing
• Currently 8.5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
teachers
• Proposal is for 19 FTE teachers for
kindergarten
• Increase of 10.5 FTE teachers
• 2.5 FTE Reallocated from Secondary Level
• 8.0 FTE increase staffing from General Fund
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Staffing Solutions
• Need 8.0 FTE
• Kindergarten Grant potential of $1049.46 per
student in addition to ADM
• 425 students generate $446,020.50
• $55,752.56 for each of 8 teachers from the
grant dollars
• Cost for 1 teacher at a Bachelor’s Degree with
zero years of experience is about $45,000$50,000 with benefits included
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Curriculum
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Written by the FDK teachers
Common Core Standards only
Specials scheduled like grades 1-5
Donna Battista, Kindergarten Teacher at
Parkview Elementary
• Elaina Miller, Kindergarten Teacher at TJE
• Laura Van Houten, Kindergarten Teacher at
Hayes Leonard Elementary
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Full Day Kindergarten Sample Schedule
• Morning Schedule
• 8:30-8:50: Arrival (school starts at 8:45)
– Teacher greets students
– Students unpack and hang up belongings
– Table Tasks (activity related to previous learning)
– Students choose a book to read or a puzzle to
solve
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Sample Schedule
• 8:50-9:10: Opening Exercises
– Pledge of Allegiance
– Good morning song
– Math Calendar Activities
– Weather (Math)
– Morning Message (English/Language Arts)
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90 Minute Reading Block
• Next year, the State of Indiana will require a mandatory 90 minute
uninterrupted English/Language Arts Block. It must be comprised
of these 5 scientifically based components of reading:
• Phonemic Awareness
– Sensitivity to sounds in spoken words
• Phonics
– The relationship between sounds and letters
• Fluency
– Automaticity in reading letter names, letter sounds and reading words
• Vocabulary
– Understanding the meaning of words
• Comprehension
– Understanding the text being read
90 Minute Reading Block
• The framework models both whole class and
small group instruction. Whole class
instruction provides an efficient and equitable
way to initiate instruction.
• Small group instruction enables teachers to
focus on specific skill needs and intensifies
instruction based on student progress.
Sample Schedule
• 9:10-10:40: 90 Minute Reading Block (as
required by the IDOE)
– Large Group and Small Group (Leveled Learning)
– Comprehension Activity
– Word Work
– Vocabulary Development
– Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Lesson
– Guided Reading Lesson/Language Experience
– Writing
– Fluency
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Sample Schedule
• 10:40-11: Sensorimotor Activities/Physical
Activities
– Activities connected to English Language Arts and
Math
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Sample Schedule
• 11-11:30: Math Block (part 1)
– Large Group Math Instruction
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Sample Schedule
• 11:30-12:30: Lunch and Recess
• 12:30-1:00: Read Aloud
• 1:00-1:10: Snack Time
– Connected learning to English Language Arts/Math
• 1:10-1:40: Math Block (Part 2)
– Small, leveled group instruction
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Sample Schedule
• 1:40-2:40: Inquiry Based Learning
– Small, leveled groups
– Child’s choice and teacher’s choice
– Teacher choice would be a lead Social Studies,
Health, or Science project
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Inquiry Based Learning
Inquiry based learning is an in-depth
investigation of a real world topic worthy of
kindergartners’ attention and effort. It is the
application of skills and standards acquired
earlier. Inquiry based learning is carried out
by both large and small groups of students.
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Inquiry Based Learning
It offers first hand research and documentation of
findings in a variety of ways. Kindergartners
have an opportunity to apply math, language
skills and knowledge, increasing their curriculum
connections between the subjects. The inquiry
is not unstructured. There is a beginning,
middle, and end. The teacher is an organizer
and consultant guided by kindergartner’s
thoughts and questions.
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Inquiry Based Learning
Throughout the inquiry, kindergartners may draw,
discuss, write, collect data, count, and measure,
calculate, predict, construct models, draw
diagrams, make graphs, record observations,
read for information, sing songs, or share plays.
The topics of study have direct connections to
local, people, places and events.
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Inquiry Based Learning
There are five structural features to inquiry
based learning: discussion, fieldwork,
representation, investigation, and display.
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Inquiry Based Learning
Phase 1: Beginning
Phase 2: Developing Phase 3: Concluding
Discussion
Prior experience, current
knowledge, word web
Prepare /review field Prepare to share the
work, questions for
story of the inquiry.
specialist, learn from Assess and evaluate
other sources
Field Work
Talk about experiences
with others
Going out to
Evaluate the work
investigate, interview with others outside
experts
the classroom
Representation
Draw, write, construct
models, drama to share
prior experience or
knowledge
Field sketches, notes, Summarize the story
math diagrams,
of the study to share
maps to represent
with others
new learning
Investigation
Create questions based on Investigate, research, Think about new
current knowledge
ask further questions questions
Display
Share knowledge and
experience
Share
documentation
Summary of learning
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Inquiry Based Learning
Some concluding documentation might be a
book, bulletin board display, celebration,
models, demonstrations, drama,
environmental project to school grounds,
interviews, museum, news report, video
presentation, parade, service project, photo
gallery, report, presentation, thematic door,
puppet show, digital story, Skype interview,
Information station.
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Sample Schedule
• 2:40-3:10: Special
– Art, Music, PE
– Computer Lab
– Library
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Sample Schedule
• 3:10-3:15: Dismissal Prep
– End of the day song/evaluation of the day
– Bags packed
– Lines formed
– Sharing time
– Dismissal
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Timeline
• May 17th presentation to the board
• Pending board approval:
– May 18th—post Full Day Kindergarten positions
– Week of May 24th—order kindergarten furniture
– Week of May 24th—create a facility work plan to
adjust existing space
– May-June-July—revision of curriculum
– June—delivery of furniture to buildings
– June—hire new FDK teachers
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Financial Impact
• Curriculum Costs (Rainy Day)
– Approximately $9000 per additional classroom for
materials, supplies, and the curriculum used
– $9000 x 9 = $81,000
• Purchase of furniture (Qualified School
Construction Bond--QSCB $1.2 million)
– Approximately $8,300 per classroom
– 9 classrooms of furniture
– $74,700 total cost in furniture
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Financial Impact
• Payment for teachers to write full day
curriculum (Title IIA)
– 19 teachers x $60 per day = $1140
– Divide teachers by subject area to work
– 10 days of work to cost $11,400
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Financial Impact
• Computer Lab (QSCB of $1.2 million)
– Rolling Computer Lab: $39,000
– Additional Electrical Outlets to charge: $8,000
– Additional Network ISTEP+ needs: $10,000
– Additional Outlets for ISTEP+: $12,000
– Misc. Parts for spare laptops: $8,000
– Cost per classroom: $77,000
– Needed at Cooks, Hayes, Northview, Parkview, TJE
– $77,000 x 5 = $385,000
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Financial Impact
• Portable Classrooms
– Needed at Cooks, Hayes, Northview, Parkview, TJE
– Innovative Modular Solutions:
• Cost for modular building with restrooms, delivery,
foundations, set-up, deck assembly and utility connections:
– Budget Series:
– Value Series:
$84/sq.ft
$97/sq.ft
– These would be turn key and ready for occupancy
inspections
– Cost for 1 at 1100 Sq/Ft is $92,400 for the Budget Series
and $106,700 for the Value Series
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Valparaiso Community Schools
Mission: Valparaiso Community Schools
provides a safe and supportive educational
environment maximizing the learning
potential of each student.
Vision: Valparaiso Community Schools will be at
the forefront of education innovation driving
from excellence to preeminence.
51
Concluding Remarks
• It’s not about having a full day of kindergarten, it’s
about what our teachers can make happen during
that full day
• It’s about having time to address the standards more
effectively while meeting the diverse learning needs
of students with differing abilities
• It’s about providing every opportunity for Valparaiso
learners to be successful from the moment they
enter our doors
• It’s about EACH student
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Resources
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http://www.ceep.indiana.edu/projects/PDF/PB_Spring_2005_Full_Day_Kindergarten.pdf
http://www.doe.in.gov/primetime/fulldaykbenefits.html
http://www.doe.in.gov/primetime/docs/fulldaykreport.pdf
http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/district/kindergarten/exploring-options
Project-based Inquiry for Young Children: First steps To Research for Grades Pre-K-2, Colleen
MacDonell.
http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/mf_PB12_FullDayK.pdf
http://nieer.org/resources/policyreports/report4.pdf
http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/po-05-01.pdf
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Recent_Research_All/
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content3/full.day.kinder.p.k12.3.html#What
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/district/registration/pdfs/AllDayK/AllDayKResearch.pdf
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/guest-bloggers/-the-answer-sheetsguest.html
http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/district/kindergarten/exploring-options
http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v6n1/bellous.html
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