Mayor Announces Full-Day Kindergarten For CPS

Academic advantages are apparent for those who attend kindergarten, but Illinois districts are not required to fund them.

The need for nap time in the classroom may be even higher for some teachers next year.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbra Byrd-Bennett announced Monday that every CPS school will for the first time offer full-day kindergarten starting next school year.

Emanuel said CPS increased access to full-day kindergarten by 50 percent since 2011. Six thousand additional seats have been added this past year, bringing the total number of students with access to 26,500.

“Guaranteeing full-day kindergarten for the first time gives every student a full education from the very start. From early learning on up through college, we are making smart, critical investments that support our students’ bright futures," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.

The full-day kindergarten program, which will provide access to an estimated 30,700 children entering CPS each year, is part of a $15 million investment by the city in high-quality education.

“This strategic investment in the education of young Chicagoans will not only improve their preparation for school and their life chances - it will also immeasurably strengthen and enrich this great city," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a statement.

Independent learning, classroom involvement and productivity are academic advantages seen in children who attend full day kindergarten. However, Illinois school districts are not required to fund full-day kindergarten.

The Emanuel Administration insists that central office cuts, including reduced overtime, the use of outside contracts for facilities management, and renegotiating energy rates will permit for more than $15 million in savings to be put towards full-day kindergarten access in the 2014 fiscal year.
 

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