As first graduates of all-day Kindergarten enter First Grade classrooms, Dayton Administration touts early successes of program across Minnesota

Governor, Lt. Governor continue effort to expand access to preK for all Minnesota children

 

 

 

ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Mark Dayton, Lt. Governor Tina Smith, and Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius today welcomed students back to school at Brimhall Elementary in Roseville. More than 847,000 students are heading back to school across Minnesota, including 58,800 Kindergartners. For the second year, over 99.6 percent of those Kindergartners will attend school all-day, free of charge.

 

"I wish all Minnesota students and teachers a fun, safe, and successful school year," said Governor Dayton.

 

Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith reiterated their shared commitment today to expanding access to preK for all Minnesota four-year-olds, noting that additional investments in the state's youngest learners are necessary to build on the successes of all-day Kindergarten.

 

"It was terrific to greet these kids as they came back to school today, and it is clear the first year of all-day kindergarten was a success," said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. "Now it's our responsibility to build on this success and educate the world's best workforce, so we can build an economy that works for everyone."

 

Thanks to a transformative investment made by Governor Dayton and the 2013 Legislature, over 57,400 students attended free, all-day Kindergarten for the first time last year. In its first year of implementation in 2014, 99.6 percent of Kindergarteners attended school all-day. Before this investment, just 54 percent of Minnesota kids had access to all-day Kindergarten, and many families were forced to pay for all-day access - sometimes as much as $2,500 to $4,200. Thanks to free all-day Kindergarten these families are now saving thousands of dollars.

 

"Last year was the first time we provided Minnesota families with access to free, all-day Kindergarten, and the response was overwhelming," said Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. "More children were enrolled in kindergarten than we projected, showing how truly necessary and important this investment was for Minnesotans. By offering kindergarten to every child, at no cost, we are breaking down barriers of access and ensuring every child has a strong foundation that will propel them forward for success in the future. Each year, as more students are able to benefit from this investment, I know we will see achievement gaps continue to close throughout Minnesota.

 

The academic impact of all-day Kindergarten has been significant. Students who attend Kindergarten all day make faster and more lasting gains in reading and literacy. Students are also better-prepared for first grade and future learning because they have a better understanding of classroom expectations. All-day Kindergarten also provides students more time to learn appropriate behaviors and develop stronger social and emotional skills.

 

Now that nearly every five-year-old has access to all-day Kindergarten, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith are focused on expanding access to early learning for all Minnesota four-year-olds. Last session, Governor Dayton proposed investing $343 million in preK, which would have provided access to free preschool for over 47,300 young learners. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith plan to continue their push for that proposal, leading into the 2016 Legislative Session.

 

Under the Governor's proposal, an estimated 47,300 students would have access to voluntary, free preK. Within just a few years, an estimated 57,000 four-year-olds statewide would benefit - giving every kid the great start they need to prepare for Kindergarten, and succeed in school and life.

 

Participation in high-quality pre-kindergarten education programs can dramatically impact the lives of Minnesota children. But right now, Minnesota ranks last out of the 41 states with preK programs for access for four-year-olds. For years, Minnesota has faced persistent achievement gaps affecting students of color and students who live in poverty. But a growing body of research shows that giving kids a great early start is the best strategy to close those gaps, and help all students achieve their greatest potential.

 

During the 2015 Legislative Session, Governor Dayton and the Legislature invested $525 million in preK-12 education. The following is a brief synopsis of those new investments.

 

New Investments in Early Learning - Governor Dayton and the Legislature invested an additional $100 million in early learning initiatives aimed at narrowing achievement gaps and helping young learners prepare for success in school. Those initiatives included:

Investments in K-12 Schools - Governor Dayton and the Legislature made important new investments in K-12 schools last session, including:

Improving School Facilities - An additional $32 million was invested to help school districts provide important maintenance to classrooms and other school facilities.