Kindergarten classes get more access to all-day learning

SALT LAKE CITY —  Almost 8,000 of the littlest Utahns just finished their first year of full-day kindergarten classes thanks to the state now offering the full-day option. The state board of education said those kids are already showing improvements in reading.

The State Board of Education’s K-3 specialist Christine Elegante said the full-day option is already proving successful. 

“If you combine the efforts of expanding full-day kindergarten and our Reaches Succeed Initiative we are starting to see some really good outcomes coming out of our kindergarten program,” said Elegante.

Every district in the state has a full-day kindergarten option with some districts now offering it at every elementary.

“In our state, we added an additional 313 new full-day kindergarten classes which is huge that’s a 12% increase of kindergarteners that were able to access a full day this past school year,” said Elegante.

Additional kindergarten classes will be added this year.

“In our state, we added an additional 313 new full-day kindergarten classes which is huge. That’s a 12% increase of kindergarteners that were able to access a full day this past school year.”

Students by the numbers

According to the board that equates to over 7,000 new students in the program. Additionally, the State Board of Education said a lot more are coming now that the funding will be guaranteed.

“This is huge! That’s a 12% increase of kindergarteners that were able to access a full day this past school year,” said Elegante.

“And for the ones now starting, now that the funding is moving into the WPU  [Weighted Pupil Unit] for this upcoming school year that 2023-2024 school year, we’re going to see a lot more full day kindergarten classes.”

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