Kindergarten Funding Change Bill Goes To Senate Floor
Air Date:02/01/2011
By Kealey Bultena
The Senate Education Committee passed a bill that changes the state payment for kindergarten students.
State Senator Deb Peters says South Dakota is paying roughly $4,000 per student for both those who go to school full time and for students who go just half day. She says school districts with half day kindergarten get double the money.
"I understand those schools districts don’t look at this as a windfall, but merely as an investment in the other grades to reduce the class sizes. I can’t argue with that. It’s a great plan. If you can do it, do it; however, the moral of the story of this particular bill is that the state is paying full price for part time," Peters says.
Diana Miller represents twelve large South Dakota Schools. She says Senate Bill 72 doesn’t save the state money, because schools will make all kindergarten full time to keep the education dollars. The bill now goes to the Senate floor.
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