Full-Day Kindergarten: A foundation for learning in Colorado

Colorado prospers when our kids thrive because they are our future workforce, leaders and community members. No matter where they live in our state—the plains, mountains, rural areas or urban centers—children need high-quality support for development. The foundation of our well-being in Colorado starts with a strong early childhood and education system— yet that base is currently missing a critical piece: statewide funding for full-day kindergarten.

Why is full-day kindergarten such a wise investment? What is being proposed?

• Better prepared children. The research on full-day kindergarten Fully fund full-day students rather than just and its benefits are robust and linked strongly to math and for a half-day literacy skills and overall academic growth. In addition, full- Parents will no longer face tuition costs and day kindergarten helps educators identify children with districts will free up resources previously spent on developmental delays and special learning needs earlier and full-day kindergarten to address local needs. This support them with appropriate interventions. proposal is not a mandate for school districts to offer full-day kindergarten nor is it a mandate for • Help for family budgets. Many parents, even those with low parents to enroll their children in a full day. Rather, incomes in many communities, must pay tuition to access a full- it adequately funds parents’ educational choices. day experience. With tuition reaching more than $4,500 per school year in some communities, this cost is either prohibitive Expand access to preschool or represents a strain on many family budgets that full funding Allow districts to retain ECARE slots currently could alleviate. used in kindergarten to expand access to preschool. • Help for school budgets. Many school districts, especially in rural areas, are already absorbing the cost of providing full-day How will this be paid for? kindergarten. Ensuring adequate state investment will alleviate Improved state revenue pressure on many school district budgets to invest in local Higher than expected property tax revenues, priorities such as teacher pay, smaller class sizes, and other in particular, have created flexibility in funding support services. for education. This allows the state to increase its investment in early learning and also add to • Expanded early learning. Fully funding full-day kindergarten the reserves to save for any future downturn, all frees up more than 5,000 early learning slots currently used to without raising taxes. support full-day kindergarten access for at-risk children. Only 24 percent of 4-year-olds in Colorado have access to state- funded preschool and there are several thousand children on our waitlist. Fully investing in full-day kindergarten allows us to open up preschool access for children to help ensure that they arrive in kindergarten ready to thrive.

How do we sustain this?

Sustainable revenue & rainy day savings The most recent revenue forecast includes higher than expected property tax revenues that allow this investment to be paid for within the existing budget and without having to cut from any other priorities. The budget proposal includes more than $180 million for reserves, allowing Colorado to save for a rainy day and sustain this investment in future years. The budget proposal also decreases the budget stabilization factor by $77 million, freeing up additional resources for districts to invest in local priorities. www.fulldayk.co Kindergarten Now Coalition

Academy 20 School District Early Childhood Council San Luis Valley Adams 12 Five Star Schools Early Childhood Options Adams County School District 14 Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County AFT Colorado Education Reform Now Anna Jo Haynes, President Emeritus, Mile High Early Learning Elbert County Early Childhood Council Aurora Public Schools Englewood Schools Bent County Early Learning Center Environmental Learning for Kids Boulder Valley School District Executives Partnering to Invest in Children Bright by Three Gary Community Investments Bright Futures Great Education Colorado Bright Futures--Strong Start Program Greeley School District 6 Brush School District Harrison School District 2 Campo School District RE-6 Healthier Colorado Cañon City School District Fremont RE-1 Healthy Child Care Colorado Chelsie Hess, Ph.D., Colorado Mesa University, Huerfano- Las Animas Counties Early Childhood Council Assistant Professor of Psychology Illuminate Colorado Cherry Creek School District Jewish Community Relations Council Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 Junior League of Denver Children’s Hospital Colorado Kidpower of Colorado City of Aspen KIPP Colorado Schools Clayton Early Learning Kristie Kauerz, Ph.D., CU Denver School of Education and Colorado Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs Human Development Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children Lake County School District Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented Las Animas School District Colorado Association of School Boards Colorado Association of School Executives Mapleton Public Schools Colorado Business Roundtable Mile High Early Learning Colorado Charter School Institute Mile High United Way Colorado Children’s Campaign Padres & Jovenes Unidos Colorado Education Association Parent Possible Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy & Research PEAK Parent Center Organization (CLLARO) Pikes Peak Area School District Alliance Colorado League of Charter Schools Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC) Colorado Nonprofit Association Pueblo District 60 Colorado PTA Rocky Ford School District Colorado Rural Schools Alliance Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council Colorado State University Rose Community Foundation Colorado Succeeds Save the Children Action Network Community Foundation Boulder County Sheridan School District Council for a Strong America St. Vrain Valley School District Delta County School District Stand for Children Democrats for Education Reform Teach Plus Denver’s Early Childhood Council The Arc of Colorado Denver Preschool Program The Denver Foundation The Kempe Foundation Douglas County Federation/AFT CO The Women’s Foundation of Colorado Durango School District 9-R Together Colorado Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) Transform Education Now (TEN) Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) Westminster Public Schools Early Childhood Council of Boulder County Wiggins Preschool Early Childhood Council of La Plata County