Issue #14: There has been a failure to acknowledge that the town of Hebron is facing a situation of diminishing resources. You don't want to miss the facts in this discussion!
The Kindergarten Task force researched the implementation of full-day Kindergarten from June 06 – Sept 07:
+ At that time unemployment in Connecticut was fluctuating around the 4.6% rate.
+ The rate of growth in the Hebron Grand List was consistently over 2% in prior years and even as high as 3.05% in 2004
+ Tax Collection rates were over 100%
+ Even in these “good times,” tax delinquency had doubled in two years
+ The Hebron students who attended half-day Kindergarten were performing well on standardized test
Jump to 2010:
+ The unemployment rate in Connecticut in December 2009 was 8.5%
+ The Hebron Grand List grew 0.65% in 2009 and only 0.164% in 2008
+ Tax collection rates have dropped below 100%
+ Delinquent taxes have continued to increase
+ Tax deferments have increased
+ The Hebron students who attended the half-day are performing even better on standardized test
It is hard to determine if standardized testing is a tool for measuring success because sometimes the administration and the BOE feel it is relevant, and sometimes they appear to feel it is not. We are told about the “Ready by 5 & Fine by 9,” but even that document implies that we CAN measure success and reading ability by using standardized testing and relating it to readiness at younger ages.
Regardless, standardized testing is currently the ONLY tool besides the experiences with our own children and those of our friends and neighbors that is provided to evaluate the effectiveness of the school system. Hebron students who had half-day Kindergarten out- perform most of the state when it comes to standardized testing.
Hebron students who had half-day Kindergarten are great citizens as identified by their recent accolades. Hebron students who had half-day Kindergarten excel in so many areas of life.
However, Hebron, along with the rest of the country is struggling. The list of personal struggles could fill pages and pages of reports. This is truly a time of diminishing resources. Those who are lucky enough to not truly be struggling with diminished resources should consider how they can do their part and set a good citizenship example for Hebron’s children.
Go back to the beginning of this analysis, where we stated, based on the current unemployment rates: “There is a high likelihood that at least one child in EVERY classroom in Hebron is in a family dealing with an unemployment situation.”
Perhaps we should stop focusing on non-existent problems, and start focusing on the real ones. All-day Kindergarten is not one of those “real” problems that need or deserve our diminishing resources.