Report Shows Difference Between Attleboro's Full-Day and Half-Day Kindergarten

A study showing the results of half-day and full-day kindergarten students' Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) showed  some differences in the performances between the two groups.

“We wanted to show that there really wasn’t a difference,” Superintendent Pia Durkin said.

The tests are given to the students twice a year, once at the mid-way mark and again at the end of the school year. The results are broken down into three categories: benchmark, below benchmark and well below benchmark. The tests are used as indicators on whether children are on track for learning to read.

Test Results

These numbers are the results of the 2009-2010 testing of 437 total kindergarten students of which 208 were half-day and 229 were full-day.

2009/2010

Mid-Year Results

2009-2010

End Year Results

The presentation to the committee also elaborated on the differences between morning and afternoon kindergarten, which were brought up during the committee's last meeting.

The data showed the afternoon classes having lower year-end scores typically, when compared with to the morning classes of the same school. However, much of this difference was attributed by Durkin to the afternoon classes typically being made of students who entered kindergarten with lower levels of comprehension. Durkin said lower levels of comprehension resulted in lower scores at the end of the year, but scores that showed greater improvement.

To eliminate that difference, the district has looked into changing the makeup of the morning and afternoon classes to even them out. Instead of morning and afternoon classes being determined by the bus routes, the classes will be determined in part by screening and parent data.

Durkin provided little indication that the kindergarten system would be implemented by September saying “It would be inappropriate for me to say we can do this.”

She also cited numerous reasons for the length of time needed to implement any changes, including the process of hiring and training additional staff, ordering additional supplies and preparing additional rooms. This would be in addition to their current workload involving the MCAS tests, teacher evaluations, regular supply orders, class structuring, summer school and filling current vacant positions, according to Durkin. 

Even if the school had enough funds to implement a free full-day system for all children entering kindergarten, it would unlikely be done for the next school year. 

The idea to move to a partial pay option was met with opposition by both the committee and Durkin.

“Going from what we have now to a pay system would be a huge endeavor," Committee President, Ray DiCiaccio said. "The thing that scares me most of all of this is the idea of collecting money."

Durkin's issue with the idea was about potential tension between parents.

Mid-Year Switch

Another idea that was suggested at the last school committee meeting was that the half-day and full-day students switch at mid year, giving everyone a half year of full-day kindergarten.

This idea was met with opposition by Durkin and elementary school principals Jenella Porter, Elaine Sabra and Catherine White, who said it would be too disruptive to the students’ routine.

Full-day kindergarten discussion will continue with a presentation to the finance subcommittee on May 25 at 6:30 p.m.