Arlington Public Schools Eliminates Full-Day Kindergarten Fees

The following is from the Arlington Public Schools. Check back with Arlington Patch later today for the full story, and see School Committee member Paul Schlichtman's blog for more details.

Arlington Public Schools Eliminate Fees for Full-day Kindergarten

The Arlington Public Schools announced today that full-day Kindergarten fees are being eliminated for the current school year. This change has been made possible thanks to support from the Town of Arlington, which has agreed to provide additional funding to cover this year’s kindergarten fees in anticipation of increased state aid next fiscal year. All fees collected for the 2012-2013 school year will be refunded to parents.

Under the state’s current educational funding formula, which was recently adjusted, offering free full-day Kindergarten will increase Arlington’s Chapter 70 aid during the 2013-2014 fiscal year. The expected increase in Chapter 70 aid will fully offset the cost of this year’s Kindergarten fees.

“Full-day Kindergarten has been available in Arlington schools since September 1997, and we are pleased to be able to now fully provide it through our school and town budgets,” said Dr. Kathleen Bodie, Superintendent of Schools.  “We are grateful to the Town of Arlington and its Finance Committee for supporting this effort, and helping us make Kindergarten a full-day program for all students.”