It is time to implement a full-day kindergarten for Hingham Public Schools. Across Massachusetts, 87% of public school kindergartners are in full-day programs.

In its recent legislative report, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education called kindergarten:

“A pivotal year in children’s lives” and stated, “A high-quality education system for children from preschool through third grade includes full-day kindergarten.”

Research finds that children in full-day programs:

-Learn more in reading and math than children in half-day programs

-Exhibit more independent learning

-Demonstrate more classroom involvement

Our children’s earliest educational years lay the foundation for later learning. Full-day kindergarten is an important piece of this foundation.

Viewing half-day kindergarten as a vehicle for saving money is shortsighted. Hingham is already lagging its benchmark schools by not providing full-day kindergarten.

We have invested in facilities, we have invested in fields, now it is time we invest in early education and implement a full-day kindergarten for the 2015-2016 school year.

Hingham Parents In Support of Full-Day Kindergarten