Each year so many parents are shocked to find out that the Triton school district charges a fee for full day kindergarten. Currently to attend full day kindergarten in the Triton District costs $2,950 per child. For those children wishing to do half day (8:30-11:15am) the program is free. Currently, Triton is one of only 72 districts that charge for full day kindergarten. 234 districts offer Free Full Day Kindergarten! 92.9% percent of children in Mass attend Full Day Kindergarten. Each year as the new group of kindergarten parents find out they have to pay for kindergarten there is shock and anger. (Not all but some) I have seen friends choose the half day program not because they feel it is right for their child but because they cannot afford the full day option. The school does provide a tuition assistance program however, a family has to meet strict financial qualifications. I have some very good friends that feel their child would thrive best in the half day program and I have some friends that want only full day. Here is my opinion (as a parent) I think that there should be free full day kindergarten. There is a lot of research that shows children who participate in full day kindergarten often are more successful in the earlier grades. Every child is different and so I do think we should still offer half days to those parents that want it. But right now parents are not always making the decision of full vs. half because of what’s best for the child they are making their decision due to finances. I realize the cost of full day kindergarten is significantly less than childcare but I do feel like once a child gets to kindergarten it is now the responsibility of the school to do what is best for the children. Each year the Triton Superintendent proposes to the school committee to change to full day kindergarten however due to budget issues the school committee has to make the difficult choice of deciding what is best for the district as a whole.
As it stands there are never any parents that stand up at school committee and say they want free full day kindergarten. Usually by the time a family realizes you have to pay for kindergarten it is too late in the budget season to raise a concern and then the next year the child is no longer in kindergarten. The School Committee will be meeting this weekend, Saturday January 28, 2017, to discuss the priorities for next year's budget cycle. We need to make our voices heard to those that can make a difference. Please sign this petition in support of the Triton Regional School District transitioning into a program that is free for both full day students and half day students. Residents are not allowed to address the committee at this meeting but lets get as many signatures as we can.
Also, please send an email in support of Free Kindergarten For All to Brian Forget, Superintendent at [email protected] and our school committee members,
PLEASE SEND BEFORE SATURDAY JANUARY 28, 2017.If you want to
Below are a few good articles for people to read about Full Day K. PS the state early education and care department is already onto universal PK because most of the districts in the commonwealth are free full day K.
http://beverly.wickedlocal.com/…/free-full-day-k-poses-dile…
http://www.strategiesforchildren.org/…/FDK/FDK_Factsheet.pdf
http://arlington.wickedlocal.com/…/towns-deal-with-lost-fun…
Thank you for your time.
Updates
January 27, 2017
I honestly cannot stop checking my phone because the momentum here is just wild and it proves that people are finally waking up to how unfair this fee structure feels for our families. It is so validating to see everyone talking about this because it means we are actually pushing toward a future where our kids get a fair start without that ridiculous price tag attached.
Reached 100 supporters
January 27, 2017
33 Comments
There should be no possibility of a lottery for full time Kindergarten- full time should be guaranteed- if towns want property taxes parents must actually be able to go to work
Free full day kindergarten is not only sometimes the right choice for the child but it is also a relief for families with two working parents. The stress of discovering that full-day option may not be available to you and scrambling to figure out how to cover care for the rest of the day is terrible.
A neighbor brought this to my attention. As an educator myself, I was shocked to find that there is tuition for public Kindergarten in my own district. With a baby on the way, we will be counting on full day Kindergarten just a few years down the road. Like most families in MA, we rely on dual income. The current policy seems unacceptable.
I have heard many parents voice their concerns over full day kindergarten tuition and the difficulties in paying for it. Many children who could really benefit from full day are forced into half day because of financial reasons. Please give parents a choice based on what's right for their children not their wallet.
Why would grades 1-12 be free, but not kindergarten? Doesn't make sense and is unfair to the parents, and kids, who can't afford it. No child should be denied an education. Please consider.
full day matters and if 234 other districts can do it so can we
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Each year so many parents are shocked to find out that the Triton school district charges a fee for full day kindergarten. Currently to attend full day kindergarten in the Triton District costs $2,950 per child. For those children wishing to do half day (8:30-11:15am) the program is free. Currently, Triton is one of only 72 districts that charge for full day kindergarten. 234 districts offer Free Full Day Kindergarten! 92.9% percent of children in Mass attend Full Day Kindergarten. Each year as the new group of kindergarten parents find out they have to pay for kindergarten there is shock and anger. (Not all but some) I have seen friends choose the half day program not because they feel it is right for their child but because they cannot afford the full day option. The school does provide a tuition assistance program however, a family has to meet strict financial qualifications. I have some very good friends that feel their child would thrive best in the half day program and I have some friends that want only full day. Here is my opinion (as a parent) I think that there should be free full day kindergarten. There is a lot of research that shows children who participate in full day kindergarten often are more successful in the earlier grades. Every child is different and so I do think we should still offer half days to those parents that want it. But right now parents are not always making the decision of full vs. half because of what’s best for the child they are making their decision due to finances. I realize the cost of full day kindergarten is significantly less than childcare but I do feel like once a child gets to kindergarten it is now the responsibility of the school to do what is best for the children. Each year the Triton Superintendent proposes to the school committee to change to full day kindergarten however due to budget issues the school committee has to make the difficult choice of deciding what is best for the district as a whole.
As it stands there are never any parents that stand up at school committee and say they want free full day kindergarten. Usually by the time a family realizes you have to pay for kindergarten it is too late in the budget season to raise a concern and then the next year the child is no longer in kindergarten. The School Committee will be meeting this weekend, Saturday January 28, 2017, to discuss the priorities for next year's budget cycle. We need to make our voices heard to those that can make a difference. Please sign this petition in support of the Triton Regional School District transitioning into a program that is free for both full day students and half day students. Residents are not allowed to address the committee at this meeting but lets get as many signatures as we can.
Also, please send an email in support of Free Kindergarten For All to Brian Forget, Superintendent at [email protected] and our school committee members,
PLEASE SEND BEFORE SATURDAY JANUARY 28, 2017.If you want to
Below are a few good articles for people to read about Full Day K. PS the state early education and care department is already onto universal PK because most of the districts in the commonwealth are free full day K.
http://beverly.wickedlocal.com/…/free-full-day-k-poses-dile…
http://www.strategiesforchildren.org/…/FDK/FDK_Factsheet.pdf
http://arlington.wickedlocal.com/…/towns-deal-with-lost-fun…
Thank you for your time.
Updates
January 27, 2017
I honestly cannot stop checking my phone because the momentum here is just wild and it proves that people are finally waking up to how unfair this fee structure feels for our families. It is so validating to see everyone talking about this because it means we are actually pushing toward a future where our kids get a fair start without that ridiculous price tag attached.
Reached 100 supporters
January 27, 2017
33 Comments
Having twins is super expensive in itself, having twins that both want to go to full day (and thrive better at full day) is an expensive decision and put us at a financial burden. School should be free, education should be encouraged not discouraged because it puts a burden on their family.
There should be no possibility of a lottery for full time Kindergarten- full time should be guaranteed- if towns want property taxes parents must actually be able to go to work
Free full day kindergarten is not only sometimes the right choice for the child but it is also a relief for families with two working parents. The stress of discovering that full-day option may not be available to you and scrambling to figure out how to cover care for the rest of the day is terrible.
A neighbor brought this to my attention. As an educator myself, I was shocked to find that there is tuition for public Kindergarten in my own district. With a baby on the way, we will be counting on full day Kindergarten just a few years down the road. Like most families in MA, we rely on dual income. The current policy seems unacceptable.
I have heard many parents voice their concerns over full day kindergarten tuition and the difficulties in paying for it. Many children who could really benefit from full day are forced into half day because of financial reasons. Please give parents a choice based on what's right for their children not their wallet.
Why would grades 1-12 be free, but not kindergarten? Doesn't make sense and is unfair to the parents, and kids, who can't afford it. No child should be denied an education. Please consider.
full day matters and if 234 other districts can do it so can we
I strongly support this petition!
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Having twins is super expensive in itself, having twins that both want to go to full day (and thrive better at full day) is an expensive decision and put us at a financial burden. School should be free, education should be encouraged not discouraged because it puts a burden on their family.