CCSD: Full-Day Kindergarten Bad For Some Children
March 1st, 2007Originally blogged 3/1/07
In response to a legislative inquiry and pressure from my blog, the Clark County School District confirmed that their internal study on the effectiveness of full day kindergarten has shown that full day kindergarten damages the academic performance of children from middle and upper class homes.
Children from middle and upper class homes (defined as children who do not qualify for “free or reduced lunch”) who attended full day kindergarten performed three percent worse than children who did not attend full day kindergarten.
Here’s what I posted on February 6 when the story initially appeared in the press.
Based on that story, I requested legislative staff inquire about the comparison between non-at-risk children who went to full day kindergarten and the group of children who went to half day kindergarten. CCSD pretty much told the legislature to go pound sand, which I reported on the blog here on February 12.
The information was finally released this week.
March 2nd, 2007 at 7:59 am
I think that Clark County School District is assuming that the average taxpayer does not have basic math skills.
Perhaps, they should use this study as a math question on one of their test.
If would be wonderful if a legislator used this study as math question in some committee meeting or on the floor.
I wonder how many legislators or press people would get the right answer.
It would be a great tool to get the point across.
March 2nd, 2007 at 6:59 pm
The school district PR spinners call my post “erroneous conclusions.” Thanks to Ralston for publishing it on his blog. I will respond later tonight or tomorrow.
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:00 am
The Clark County School District (CCSD) is now saying: “”A comparison of performance between full-day and half-day students who are neither ELL (English Language Learners) nor enrolled in free and reduced lunch … does not show a statistically significant difference in academic performance, which mirrors the majority of national research in this area.”
Did not the CCSD in a previous press releases say that there is a statistically significant academic improvement performance among ELL and/or free and reduced lunch students?
I think that they were hyping that fact for awhile now. I guess they are backing off that statement now because we have a senator that has basic math skills. Perhaps, the CCSD should push for a law that bans CPA’s from running for office.
No wonder the educational system is having trouble. It seems that the CCSD staff are math and logic challenged.
We should send enter them into full-day kindergarten classes.
The bottom line is that there are ton of studies that show that on a long-term basis there is no statistically significant academic improvement performance.
I think Carson City should focus on the fact that we have statistically significant group of honor roll graduates that need to take remedial English and math classes to get into college.
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:54 pm
The CCSD could invest more time in communicating with parents instead of the press and educating students with the time they have rather than wishing for more time to do a substandard job.
That’s my assessment after seeing one school “intervene” on behalf of B+ 2nd grader (in reading) who has read 110 books this year, but according to one test, failed to prove he could read “nonsensical” words. And the parents? They learned about the so-called intervention after the fact, when their son, feeling disappointed that he somehow “failed” a test (that has no bearing on grades) and required special attention to coup with his learning challenge. Of course, no one told his parents this was a knee jerk reaction base on one test until they pinned down the principal after the teacher did not return calls. Now, they need to follow up with the school, first with the literacy counselor and then the teacher to assess whether or not the decision was appropriate by any measure.
Yes sir, Sen. Beers. You are spot on in suggesting the school district does not need more time to label and discourage education in Nevada children.
March 3rd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Thank you Senator Beers, for your continued vigilence on behalf of the taxpayers of Nevada. Thank you for recommending
a DMV tax cut as well.
God Bless you.
March 4th, 2007 at 12:20 am
As a mother of a 3-year old son, I am very concerned about our legislature pushing for all-day kindergarten. I am adamantly against it, and I will do everything I can to prevent my son from being subjected to this ridiculous idea just so people can have free day-care. I strongly believe it will be detrimental to my son. There is nothing a 5-year old needs to learn that can’t be taught in a few hours a day. It is more important for him to spend a lot of quality time with his parents and just PLAY and have fun. Children at that age learn while they spend time with their families and friends. There will be plenty of years for him to attend school all day. Even if it only costed $.01, I would still be against all-day prison camp, I mean all-day kindergarten, for my son. I refuse to allow what I know is harmful to him, and I will do everything in my power to do what is in his best interest.
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:31 pm
[...] Clark County School District has since undermined their credibility by the scandal of their “data” purporting to show All-Day K works. One can only suspect the continued [...]