After a multi-year campaign to start 4-year-old kindergarten in Madison, the Madison school board voted on Monday to join the 80% of Wisconsin school districts with a universal 4K program. The first year of implementation will be 2011-12, and it will be a community collaboration between MMSD and accredited ECE providers. As Supt. Dan Nerad stated, there were three key components needed to make 4K a reality. First was an implementation plan; this was the result of a yearlong effort by the 50+ person 4K Collaboration Committee facilitated by Kathy Hubbard from United Way of Dane County and Jim Moeser of WCCF. Second was an agreement in the teacher contract to permit some of the licensed 4K teachers to be ECE center employees. This was obtained in September when the 2-year MTI contract was settled. Third was the funding. This last piece is still falling into place, but it looks like it will include borrowing about $4 million along with a tax increase of about $40 per household in Madison. That is because start-up costs are borne by the district for the first two years (the state formula reimburses 1/3 the first year, 2/3 the second, and only gets to 100% in the third year).

WCCF has long advocated for collaborative 4K initiatives and funding throughout the state. Locally, Dane County United, the Madison Area Accredited Early Childhood Association, and the Bright & Early public education campaign have worked tirelessly over the past 5+ years to make this kindergarten readiness program a reality for Madison’s children. The United Way reports that only 56% of kids entering 5-year-old kindergarten are able to pass the screener that assesses their learning abilities. It is our hope that quality, play-based, developmentally appropriate 4K will help to raise that percentage.