Northville School District Seeks Input on Kindergarten Survey

From a Northville Public Schools press release:

Kindergarten students to help create Kindergarten options for the 2012-13 school year that best align the needs of families with the district’s resources.

Northville Public Schools is in the process of developing a full-day Kindergarten program to be offered at each of the district’s elementary schools for the fall of 2012. This decision is based on the Michigan legislature's anticipated restriction, beginning in the 2012-13 school year, to provide full per-pupil funding to districts for only those Kindergarten students who attend full-day programs. School districts will receive half of the per-pupil funding for those students attending half-day Kindergarten.

While Northville Public Schools strongly believes in the academic integrity of its current half-day program, district leaders are evaluating the Kindergarten program for next year to avoid a significant loss in revenue, as well as to provide a full-day option for parents. Currently, Northville school families preferring a full-day program for their Kindergartners can select a combination of half-day Kindergarten and pay for programs, such as the district’s Wondergarten program, for the balance of the day.

Given the availability of full-day Kindergarten, the district will not offer Wondergarten next year, but will continue to offer as an option for parents the fee-based before and after school "Kids Club" childcare program for students enrolled in Kindergarten through fifth grade from 7-8:50 a.m. and 3:45-6 p.m.

The purpose of the online survey is to gauge the interest in half-day versus full-day Kindergarten for the 2012-13 school year. The survey is intended only for families of incoming August 2012 Kindergarten students and should be completed by Dec. 4, 2011.