York- Studies show your child gets some of his or her best developmental skills in kindergarten. So what happens when school districts cut it out of their budget to save costs in tough economic times?
State Representative Patty Kim says the option to cut a child’s early education is wrong. Kim, of Dauphin County, says school districts like Harrisburg School District, are cutting kindergarten to balance a budget.
Currently, districts are not required by state to teach Kindergarten. So as a way to cut costs, non-mandated programs risk elimination. But Kim is hoping to teach districts a lesson.
Kim says, “I am co-sponsering a bill that requires schools to teach kids from 5 and up and not 8 and up…it includes a 1% tax increase on the sales tax to help fund the kindergarten, but my goal is just don’t touch it. Don’t make that option, kindergarten has to be mandatory.”
Bill Fry, of York says, “Kids needs their time to get aquainted with other kids as much as they can and as young as they are. My son now’s in pre school so he’ll be going to kindergarten and all the way up to first grade through college hopefully.”
Governor Corbett made $1 billion in cuts to education last year, forcing local property tax hikes and cuts to non-mandated programs.