“March Mobilization to Save Kindergarten” Supported by Parents, Civic Leaders, Education Advocates
02.29.2012 | Preschool California
For Immediate Release – February 29, 2012
For more information:
Jennifer Kern (415) 244-7676, jkern@prandcompany.com
Deborah Kong (415) 385-4288, dkong@preschoolcalifornia.org
“March Mobilization to Save Kindergarten” Supported by Parents, Civic Leaders, Education Advocates
“Play-In” at Model Classroom at California State Capitol to Kick Off Statewide Events Highlighting Widespread Support for Transitional Kindergarten
Sacramento, CA – February 29, 2012 – With school districts and parents preparing to register students for kindergarten in March, legislators, superintendents, parents, education and civic leaders and child advocacy organizations are stepping up efforts to persuade legislators and California Governor Jerry Brown to support the full implementation of transitional kindergarten this fall.
Launching a “March Mobilization to Save Kindergarten”, the Save Kindergarten coalition is rallying groups across the state to sound a warning bell about the unprecedented number of students who could be denied access to public education this fall if the governor’s budget proposal to eliminate their right to transitional kindergarten is adopted.
"March is a pivotal planning time for parents and schools," said Catherine Atkin, president of Preschool California. "The March Mobilization to Save Kindergarten is about leveraging this critical time to reinforce why access to transitional kindergarten ought to remain open to all, with no child denied their right to public education.”
Headlined by a planned "Play-In" at the state Capitol in Sacramento, where local transitional kindergarten students will greet California State Assembly and Senate members with a model transitional kindergarten classroom, the "March Mobilization to Save Kindergarten" will also release data detailing the number of students per legislative district who could be barred from public school this fall.
Other Save Kindergarten Coalition events include:
Thursday, March 1 – Parents, educators and advocates will rally support for transitional kindergarten at the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Full Committee Hearing, 9:30am in State Capital Room 4203.
Tuesday, March 13 – Parents, educators and advocates will rally support for transitional kindergarten at the Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing on Education focused on transitional kindergarten at 9:00am in State Capitol Room 444 followed by a 1:00pm "Play-In" for transitional kindergarten at a model classroom at the State Capitol.
Additional Save Kindergarten activities in March include:
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California’s report release detailing the cost-savings that investments in early childhood education provide, featuring law enforcement leaders, announced from a Bay Area transitional kindergarten classroom.
Assemblymember Susan Bonilla’s Select Committee hearing with school district leaders across Contra Costa County on the importance of following the Kindergarten Readiness Act and moving forward with full implementation of transitional kindergarten.
The March Mobilization to Save Kindergarten is organizing outreach events and activities pegged to key legislative committee meetings scheduled for March 1 and March 13, where the issue of transitional kindergarten will be discussed. Preschool California is posting events as they are scheduled at: www.earlyedgecalifornia.org/savekindergarten.
The Save Kindergarten Coalition of school districts, superintendents, educators, parents, business and civic leaders and child advocates spearheading the March Mobilization rejects the governor’s proposal and is urging the California state legislature and governor to follow the Kindergarten Readiness Act that established transitional kindergarten and remains the current law. Learn more about the Save Kindergarten Campaign at: www.earlyedgecalifornia.org/savekindergarten.
Fully implementing transitional kindergarten is in accordance with The Kindergarten Readiness Act – the California law that changed the kindergarten entry date so that children enter school at age 5 and establishing transitional kindergarten, a developmentally-appropriate grade to serve those younger students with birthdays between September and December. The governor’s budget proposal is at odds with The Kindergarten Readiness Act, which remains the law and could impact 1 out of 4 kindergarten-aged students.
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About Preschool California
Preschool California is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to increase access to high-quality early learning for all of California’s children, starting with those who need it most. Learn more at: www.earlyedgecalifornia.org/savekindergarten.
A map of California school districts implementing transitional kindergarten is available at http://www.earlyedgecalifornia.org/resources/resource-files/california-school-districts.pdf.
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