<\/p>\n
DENVER \u2013 Durango school officials told state lawmakers on Monday that the state should fund full-day kindergarten, which would ease a burden on the district.<\/p>\n
For 20 years, Durango School District 9-R has paid for full-day kindergarten, making it one of the few districts in the state to do so. Durango pioneered the effort.<\/p>\n
The cost is about $1.4 million per year, requiring the district to cut other areas, including gifted and talented programs, as well as raises for teachers.<\/p>\n
The state covers half-day kindergarten programs, which is a little more than 50 percent of the full-day share.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have parents from all walks of life who stand strongly behind a full-day program and have led our district to prioritize the service within our already-stretched budget,\u201d explained Superintendent Dan Snowberger, who offered his comments to lawmakers in Denver via live video stream from Fort Lewis College.<\/p>\n
The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Monday delayed a vote on Senate Bill 23, which would gradually increase state funding for full-day kindergarten until it is fully funded in the fiscal year beginning in 2021. Voters would have to allow the state to keep taxpayer refunds to pay the bill.<\/p>\n
Refunds are expected as a result of a surplus in the state budget. The bill\u2019s sponsor, Sen. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, said the average taxpayer would forego a refund of about $20.<\/p>\n
But GOP lawmakers raised concerns with prioritizing full-day kindergarten when the state faces an $855 million education funding shortfall, known as the \u201cnegative factor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to honor our first commitments and then talk about new commitments,\u201d said Sen. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n
Democrats attempted to back Republicans into a corner by proposing an amendment that would first direct funding to buy down the negative factor before funding full-day kindergarten. Facing the amendment, Republicans delayed the vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cFar too often are the stories \u2026 where our folks, middle-class families, are on the hook for that money \u2026\u201d Kerr said, pointing to the high cost of sending children to full-day programs. \u201cI\u2019m under no illusion that this will be inexpensive. It\u2019s not small, but the investment in our kids is worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
A range of stakeholders spoke in favor of the legislation, including teachers, administrators and parents. No one testified against the bill.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am a product of half-day kindergarten, and if that doesn\u2019t sway you into action,\u201d joked Snowberger, who played an instrumental role last year as lawmakers debated student-testing reform.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiving in a mountain town, it is an expensive cost of living, so even our families who aren\u2019t from poverty \u2026 find themselves stretched financially,\u201d Snowberger said.<\/p>\n
Gina Preszler, a 20-year kindergarten teacher for the Durango district, acknowledged that there are several funding issues to address in terms of students. But she said SB 23 would be a positive step.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t fix all of that, but we can give them the one instructional resource of time,\u201d Preszler said. \u201cFull-day kindergarten supports children who are at risk of school failure; it provides a way to close the achievement gap.\u201d<\/p>\n