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In MN kindergarten is not required NOR is it paid for by state funding. Some districts have full day kindergarten for free, some have it for a fee, some don't have it at all. It really comes down to the need or budget in each area.
I don't know of anyone who sends their child to 1st but didn't sent in K. It is on the books, but I have yet to find someone (other than a homeschooler) who observes this.
Dawn
You haven't been to Mississippi then.....it happens every year......and those poor babies are so far behind. It usually seems to be the most uneducated parents who do this. It just perpetuates the education problems in our state.
BTW, it is not compulsory in Mississippi. They have changed the law, though. If you enroll a child in K and withdraw them, you may keep them out. But if you re-enroll in K, then it becomes compulsory. I taught K for 6 years, and every year, we would get parents who would enroll their children and NEVER send them. It was so frustrating.
Because of the MCAS (a state exam the kids have to take now), there is so much pressure on the kids to pass that basically the 1st grade curriculum has been pushed back to Kindergarten. And the 1st grade has been mandatory for god knows how long.
That is why. If the curriculum was REQUIRED for the first grade, and the curriculum has been pushed back to Kindergarten, it makes sense that they should push back the requirement, instead of 1st grade, back to Kindergarten.
My cousin is a second grade teacher who has taught first grade as well and she said that the kids that don't go to kindergarten (although most do go) are almost always behind the other students.
I realize that there seems to be opposition to Kindergarten being required (I am not sure why if you ask me, they have to go at some point, and I am not sure why anyone would not send their child to Kindergarten in the first place---maybe someone can shed some light on this practice). Fine, though, if someone doesn't want to send their children to kindergarten because of whatever their reasons are, I am not going to be the one to say their child should have to go, but it should be offered free for those who want to send their children.
Because of the MCAS (a state exam the kids have to take now), there is so much pressure on the kids to pass that basically the 1st grade curriculum has been pushed back to Kindergarten. And the 1st grade has been mandatory for god knows how long.
That is why. If the curriculum was REQUIRED for the first grade, and the curriculum has been pushed back to Kindergarten, it makes sense that they should push back the requirement, instead of 1st grade, back to Kindergarten.
My cousin is a second grade teacher who has taught first grade as well and she said that the kids that don't go to kindergarten (although most do go) are almost always behind the other students.
I realize that there seems to be opposition to Kindergarten being required (I am not sure why if you ask me, they have to go at some point, and I am not sure why anyone would not send their child to Kindergarten in the first place---maybe someone can shed some light on this practice). Fine, though, if someone doesn't want to send their children to kindergarten because of whatever their reasons are, I am not going to be the one to say their child should have to go, but it should be offered free for those who want to send their children.
It IS offered free. Name one city or town it isn't free in Massachusetts?
It IS offered free. Name one city or town it isn't free in Massachusetts?
Yes Casey B, I am aware that it is free in all Massachusetts towns (half day, not full day) At the time I posted the thread, I had been told that several towns charged for it. I stated this correction in one of my earlier posts.
What they were actually charging for was for the second half of the day, that is not mandated by the state of Massachusetts.
It's not required in Missouri either. Just offered free to those who choose to attend. And we have some that do not. Their parents want to baby them another year. They show up for first grade and can't write their name or count to ten. We live in SW MO, where people have very traditional values about wanting to keep their kids at home as long as possible. No preschool, no day care, no play groups, some don't attend kindergarten....just stay home with momma. This is just a few families, by no means the entire community. I teach 2nd grade, but taught first grade also. I see a few poor kiddos every year who have no idea what to do when they are "thrown" in to first grade, after being home everyday since birth with just mom.
Im all for Mom's who stay home with their kids, but we have a few that never give their child an opportunity for socialization with other kids or any experience with interaction in a group.
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What I meant was:
