All seven superintendents in Whatcom County disagree with the proposed changes to the state’s Transition to Kindergarten that would limit statewide enrollment in the program.
In a letter sent to Rep. Alicia Rule, Rep. Joe Timmons and Sen. Sharon Shewmake on Feb. 21, the superintendents opposed House Bill 1450, which would also add new administrative requirements for districts that offer transition to kindergarten.
“Instead of strengthening early learning opportunities, HB 1450 could result in fewer available seats for children, less access for families, and increased financial strain on schools that are already struggling to meet student needs,” the superintendents wrote.
Transition to kindergarten currently provides free early learning to 4- and 5-year-olds who don’t qualify for the federal Head Start program or the Washington Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), but who also cannot afford to pay for private child care. Most districts in Whatcom County have transition to kindergarten programs.
Bill sponsor Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos said in an Education Committee meeting on Jan. 28 that the intention of the changes is to protect the private sector of early learning, as it could be harmed by parents opting for a free program in public schools over private child care.
She said the changes are intended to balance the “desperate need” to access affordable child care and early learning “without decimating” the private sector of early learning centers.
However, Whatcom County superintendents want the program to stay as it is.
Superintendents in Whatcom County criticized the bill for adding new requirements, “without providing the financial resources necessary for districts to implement them,” including an application and approval process and a requirement for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to conduct site visits.
Their letter cites state data from WaKIDS which shows that students who participated in transition to kindergarten “demonstrated higher performances across all assessed domains at the start of kindergarten compared to their peers.”
“We question why we are attempting to change a program that is not broken,” the superintendents wrote.
The bill is currently being considered in the House’s Appropriations Committee.
A previous version of this article misstated that all Whatcom County school districts have transition to kindergarten. The article was updated at 12:12 p.m. on Feb. 28. Cascadia Daily News regrets the error.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
