District Hits Kindergarten Milestone

Vancouver Public Schools has reached a landmark, with half its elementary schools offering all-day kindergarten. Three programs require that parents pay; seven others offer the program for free.

The state pays every district to educate its youngest students for half a day. But the lowest income schools get extra money for students to attend all day, in large part because of the achievement gap between low-income students and their wealthier classmates. All- day means 8:30 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.

In Vancouver, the state pays for all-day kindergarten at Peter S. Ogden, Fruit Valley, King, Washington, Harney and Roosevelt elementary schools. The Hough Foundation pays for an additional kindergarten teacher at Hough Elementary.

At Franklin, Chinook and Lake Shore elementary schools, all-day kindergarten is offered to students whose families pay $2,900 a year in tuition fees.

Franklin Elementary is still accepting students. Interested parents should complete an application form, then register at Franklin before Sept. 3, the first day of school. For more information, call 360-313-1850.

Originally published by The Columbian.

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