Worth Knowing District Newsletter
October 30th, 2024
Last night at our Board of Education meeting, Rob Messenheimer, Director of Elementary Education, presented a proposal to shift Worthington Schools’ kindergarten model to universal, no-cost all-day kindergarten.
Right now, all 11 of our elementary schools offer both half-day and full-day kindergarten, but families opting for full-day currently are asked to pay $345 a month (or $3,105 per year). This tuition model was designed to help us offer all-day kindergarten without extra costs to the district. But as educational needs evolve and we learn more about how young children learn, it’s clear that asking families to pay for this option no longer makes sense.
Why Make the Change to Universal All-Day Kindergarten?
Here are the key reasons highlighted at our Board of Education meeting and we are excited to move in this direction for Worthington Schools:
More Access for Everyone: We are committed to creating a more equitable school district. Tuition is a significant barrier for many families, limiting access to the benefits of all-day kindergarten. While we offer no-cost kindergarten to families falling below income thresholds, many still find the tuition burdensome and outside of family budgets. Removing this barrier will provide more families the opportunity to participate in the classroom that best suits their child, making sure every family has access to full-day programming.
Hear why Flu believes he has found the perfect job! Listen now:
