Lawmakers in Concord yesterday killed a bill that would provide money for full-day kindergarten programs in the state. The vote of 157-200 was along party lines.
Currently, the state provides adequacy funding for half-day kindergarten programs only. While the bill would not have required districts to offer full-day programs, it would have provided additional state dollars to those districts that already provide them.
Sponsors of the bill argue the state should fund kindergarten at the same level as other grades.
Opponents of the bill cited cost.
While the number of school districts that offer full-day kindergarten has steadily increased over the last several years, New Hampshire still lags behind the national average for the percentage of children enrolled in full-day kindergarten programs.
