Kindergarten is optional in Idaho, and students aren’t required to start school until age 7. According to Idaho Ed News, “Idaho lawmakers have regularly voted against funding all-day kindergarten — including this session when House Bill 331 was voted down. The measure would have allocated up to $42.1 million for all-day kindergarten.”
Idaho Education data presented by Bluum from the 2018-19 academic year to the 2020-21 academic year shows how students in all-day kindergarten and partial-day kindergarten performed in reading proficiency and how it affected learning through second grade.
"All-day kindergarten students made more progress than partial-day students, sometimes even in those beginning at a lower proficiency level. In the fall of 2020, students in all-day kindergarten were in the 46th percentile, then by the spring of 2021 were in the 52 percentile. Partial-day kindergarten students began in the 54th percentile and dropped to the 52 percentile. As students progress to first and second grade, the gap between students who attended all-day kindergarten and partial-day kindergarten closed to a 5-point gap by the end of second grade in 2021."
While kindergarten remains optional in Idaho and the state only provides school districts with funding for a half-day program, Boise Schools joins the increasing number of districts that have steadily grown the availability of full-day kindergarten over the past four years. Boise Schools Trustees and administrators mentioned that "given the effectiveness of full-day kindergarten and its growing popularity across the state, the Legislature and Governor will hopefully move forward soon with funding."
“We know that students’ literacy, math and social skills are much improved with a full day of kindergarten,” said Coby Dennis, Boise Schools Superintendent. “Full-day kindergarten supports the schedule of working parents and teachers love the fact that they have more time for both instruction and intervention.”
*Disclaimer: All information in this article is sourced directly from West Ada School District. Tuition Kindergarten is an extra session of kindergarten available to patrons who wish to pay a tuition of $280.00 (starting 2021-2022 school year) per month for each child to attend. Students must meet the age requirement of being 5-years-old on or before September 1 of the current year. The session would have an enriched and extended kindergarten curriculum, focused on providing students with expanded language arts experiences through drama, speaking, writing and reading. It would provide enrichment in math, social studies, science and general knowledge. Just as in the traditional half-day kindergarten sessions, your child will participate in music, P.E., computer and library classes each week.
Not every school offers this program. It is offered at schools if classroom space is available and there is sufficient enrollment to have 20-25 children participate in the program.
If a school is able to offer the program that school would have registration information available. Each school sets the date for its registration. Registrations will be on a first come first serve basis unless more applications are received on the first day of registration. In that situation, a lottery drawing would be used to determine placement.
What is a Tuition Kindergarten?
Tuition Kindergarten is an extra session of kindergarten for which parents pay tuition for their child to attend. Eligible students must meet the age requirement of 5 years of age on or before September 1 of the current year. The session will have an enriched and extended kindergarten curriculum, focused on providing students with expanded language arts experiences through drama, speaking, writing, and reading. It will provide enrichment in math, social studies, science, and general knowledge. Just as in the traditional half-day kindergarten sessions, your child will participate in music, P.E., computer, and library classes each week.
What is the cost of the Tuition Kindergarten program?
The cost of the program is $280.00 a month for nine months. Parents must pay a $100.00 deposit in advance of the start of the program. The deposit is applied to the last month’s tuition and is non-refundable. For traditional calendar schools, the first payment is due September 1 and will be due the first of every month through May. May’s tuition will be $180.00 (plus the previously paid deposit of $100.00). Year-round calendar schools will follow a similar payment schedule capturing the starting and ending dates of the Tuition Kindergarten track schedule.
What schools offer a Tuition Kindergarten?
Not every school offers the TK program. Tuition Kindergarten may be offered at a school if classroom space is available and there is sufficient enrollment of 20-25, which is maximum capacity based upon Policy 601.3. If more than the maximum of students sign up a lottery draw will be used to determine class enrollment. A current list of schools offering the program is posted on this page.
What if my school doesn’t offer the Tuition Kindergarten program?
If your school doesn’t offer the program, or if the program is full, you may submit an application for attendance at another school that does offer the program. Applications would be accepted on a space-available basis and parents are responsible for transportation.
What are the hours of a Tuition Kindergarten program?
The program operates within the starting and ending hours of the school day for the first through fifth grades.
Is busing available?
If your child qualifies for bus services, he/she may ride on an existing route to and from school.
Who teaches Tuition Kindergarten?
A certified teacher will teach the class. The same teacher may or may not teach the full day, i.e. your child may have two 1/2-day teachers: an A.M. and P.M. teacher.
How do I sign my child up for the Tuition Kindergarten program?
The school offering Tuition Kindergarten will provide parents with information specific to that school site. The school will survey parents who are interested during Kindergarten Registration, host a general information meeting, and secure enrollment by requiring parents to sign a contract and pay a $100.00 deposit to hold their child’s spot in the program.
Is tuition kindergarten tax deductible?
As a district, we do not give out our Tax ID for Tuition Kindergarten expense, because it is not tax-deductible as Child Care Credit.
Elementary Schools Offering Full-Day Kindergarten:
Interested in Full Day Kindergarten for Your Child?
See the following link for information on how to enroll your child. You'll find links to the application as well as information on Open Enrollment. (In addition to the Full Day Application, you'll need to complete an Open Enrollment application if you want to attend a school other than your neighborhood school).
Do I qualify for Free or Reduced Tuition?
Complete this Sliding Scale Application for Full Day Kindergarten and turn it in at your child's school.
Qualifying for the sliding scale is based on federal poverty guidelines.
Why I choose Full Day Kindergarten for my Kiddo:
Education holds a lot of value in my opinion as a parent. I want my child to have all the tools and resources at a young age to be successful in life, even if that means I have to pay out-of-pocket costs for his education.
I am a full-time single mom. I am by no means wealthy at all, nor do I come from wealth. Less than a year ago I was living on government assistance, unemployment benefits, food stamps, and Medicaid. As of this past year 2021, I was able to get back on my feet, just living above the poverty line. I am by no means asking for pity, nor am I asking for help, or am I proud of admitting to any of this, but it is my truth just like many others.
The choice of full-day Kindergarten for my child is very important to me. I thought about the extra cost of $280 a month and if I would be able to afford that, and I made the promise that no matter what I would find a way.
If he wasn’t in full-day Kindergarten he would be sitting around at a daycare facility watching tv and playing with kids ½ his age. Why would I choose to pay extra for a crappy daycare facility (not to mention daycare is also ridiculously expensive) not allowing him to truly excel academically at his age, when he could be in full-day kindergarten stimulating his motor cortex, building his self-esteem, and much more!
I have noticed a significant difference in my child's literacy and math skills, since starting full-time Kindergarten. Academically he is considered advanced for his age and grade level. He is already able to read and write full sentences, as well as has learned simple addition and subtraction. I can tell that my child has better self-esteem and confidence being in the classroom with his teacher and classmates daily. He has a joy for learning and always comes home excited to share what he has learned that day. His class has homework daily, weekly sight words, and monthly i-pad assignments and assessments. As a parent and mother, I am very grateful for full-time Kindergarten for my little boy, it's been a-m-a-z-i-n-g!
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