The Utah Foundation Research Report Lessons from Our Neighbor: Learning from Colorado’s Educational Success pointed out much broader participation in full-day kindergarten in Colorado. In Utah, 13% of five-year olds attend full-day kindergarten. In Colorado, that number is 74%.
Data from Colorado’s Department of Education show the boost kids get from participating in high-quality preschool and full-day kindergarten programs continues into high school. Here in Utah, there have been a number of steps toward implementing full-day kindergarten, as well as the occasional step backward, such as when funding for the program was eliminated in 2011.
In this legislative session, there are efforts to increase funding and expand the reach of full-day kindergarten programs, though in some cases, the money would come from the families of kindergartners rather than the state.
The report Lessons From Our Neighbor: Learning from Colorado’s Educational Success is available on the Utah Foundation website along with many other studies on important public policy issues. Your comments on this program are welcome.
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