Education Q&A -- Some Districts Allowing Early Kindergarten Start

Q: My child's birthday is Sept. 26. Is there any chance he can go to the same grade as children whose birthdays fall on or before Aug. 31, or does he have to be put back one year? - H.M., Shoreline

A: The state Board of Education has ruled that a child must be 5 years old by midnight Aug. 31 of the year they enter kindergarten, says Chris McElroy, program administrator in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. But the same rule also allows local school districts to make exceptions and provide "early entrance" for children born in September and October. Not all school districts have adopted early-entrance policies. For example, Shoreline, where you live, does not allow early entrance. Seattle does.

To qualify for early entrance, children must be tested for mental, physical, emotional and social maturity, said Dorothy Dubia, spokeswoman for Seattle schools. The testing costs $75 - the maximum fee allowed by the state - but can be waived or reduced for low-income families. Children allowed to enter kindergarten early attend school for a four-week trial period before the decision becomes final, Dubia said.

Q: I read your recent story on education reform. Does this have anything to do with the Goals 2000 program President Clinton is trying to push?

A: Goals 2000 is the federal government's version of education reform and became law in 1994. It was based on the America 2000 program initiated by the National Governors Council and the Reagan and Bush administrations.

It's not the same thing as the Education Reform Act passed by the Washington state Legislature in 1993, but the two efforts are linked. The federal act is meant to encourage a bottom-up reform of education. The idea is to free up states from federal rules and funding formulas and give them no-strings-attached money to develop their own brand of education reform. Under the federal program, Washington will allocate a total of $5.7 million in grants to schools and school districts during this school year to encourage local reform efforts.

Q: I know the demand for full-day kindergarten is being driven by parental demand for cheaper day care. What is filling the extra 3 1/2 hours in the full-day kindergartner's day, and what criteria should be used in assessing whether the child should attend half- or full-day kindergarten? - S.S., Seattle

A: Many educators would disagree with you on the primary reason for all-day kindergartens. While schools these days certainly want to please parents, these educators say, all-day kindergarten is advantageous for children.

According to some studies, all-day kindergarten improves learning and social and leadership skills, especially for disadvantaged children.

The longer class day is appropriate for any child mature enough for the half-day program, says Sheryl Harmer, principal of Spring Glen Elementary, a magnet school in the Kent School District. Spring Glen has offered all-day kindergarten for nine years.

The curriculum for the full-day program is the same as the half-day kindergarten program, Harmer says. Pupils simply have more time to linger over projects, and they also spend time with music and physical-education teachers and have a computer lab. There is no nap time.

"The extra time allows us to move at a kid's pace and to not feel we have to rush them through," Harmer says. "There can be big chunks of time for exploration. Their natural curiosity comes out."

The Seattle School District offers the most all-day kindergartens: Each of its elementary schools offers one and 1,532 pupils currently are enrolled. Because the state only pays for half-days, the district uses local supplemental funds.

"Even with our budget crisis, we will continue to keep that commitment," says Dorothy Dubia, district spokeswoman.

The push for the all-day program in Seattle arose from the district's desire "to recapture our market share and provide a service our parents want," Dubia says.

But she also says, "We provide it to help accelerate our children's learning."

Education Q&A is a regular Sunday feature in The Seattle Times prepared by Times education reporters. Call in your questions to our Education Hotline at 464-3339, or write to Education Q&A c/o The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111; FAX to Education Q&A at 464-2261 or e-mail at schools@seatimes.com

Coming up in education:

Education reform: The Goals 2000 coordinating committee will meet from 6:45-8:45 p.m. Tuesday via satellite hookup from nine locations statewide to discuss a draft plan tying together the various agencies responsible for state education reform. The public is invited. The closest site to Seattle is in Burien at the Educational Service District office, 400 S.W. 152nd, 439-3636.

Information Night: For adult learners and transfer students, Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University, 3307 Third Ave. W., Seattle. Attendees are encouraged to bring copies of their college transcripts. Information: 281-2121 or (800) 648-7898.

Concordia Lutheran School: Open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday at 7040 36th Ave. N.E., Seattle. Information: 525-7407.

Additional education-calendar listings appear Mondays in The Times inside the Local News section.