Transitional kindergarten might vanish under new funding criteria

Transitional kindergarten might be headed for a big transition.

According to some recently produced state information presented by Superintendent Bob Callaghan at Monday night’s Newton Community School District board meeting, transitional kindergarten, at least in the way Newton and other districts utilize the concept, may no longer qualify for regular state funding, beginning in 2015-16.

In Monday’s meeting, held at Aurora Heights Elementary School, Callaghan described his understanding of a PowerPoint list of clarifications released by the Iowa Department of Education in November. The presentation, which addresses transitional kindergarten, classifies to students in those programs as “retained,” and that districts are not in compliance with Iowa Code 279.68 by attempting to get regular funding for those students.

He presented a chart and several detailed clarifications that show which programs and designations for each student will still allow districts to count that student as part of its annual state funding request.

The directive makes the future unclear for transitional kindergarten in Newton. The document clarifies that a student in any type of kindergarten for the second consecutive year is not a “1.0 student,” or a regular student that is part of a district’s head count for annual state funding.

Funding for transitional or other special types of kindergartens must come from either special-education funds, parent-paid tuition or funding from other resources. Districts will not be allowed to use Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program funds for what it calls “5-year-old attendance programs.”

Callaghan pointed out that it seems the DOE doesn’t want to fund education that isn’t on the Iowa Core track. There are a number of different types of modified kindergarten models used in Iowa schools, such as transitional, alternative or “beginner” kindergarten, and the guidance packet points out that it is “difficult to ascertain which standards these programs use.”

“Is that as clear as mud?” Callaghan joked after presenting the information to the board, referring future questions to Newton’s pre-K-8 curriculum director, Jim Gilbert, who wasn’t at Monday’s meeting.

One of the most confrontational elements of the multi-page presentation was a bulleted item that reads “Instructional time (in transitional kindergarten) received may be less than what is received by learners who attend (traditional) kindergarten. This is counter-intuitive. If these learners lack skills, providing more opportunities, not fewer, are needed.”

The directives suggest any students deficient in basic competencies already have several types of resource programs available. Gilbert has already met with affected teachers to discuss the directive and its implications, Callaghan said.

Board member Robyn Friedman praised the work of Gilbert and others for trying to stay ahead of the announcement and making plans to adjust summer programs accordingly.

She pointed out the district must figure out how to plan ahead and make use of summer reading and other supplementary aids.

“They’re saying that third-graders must meet Iowa Core standards, that everyone needs to be teaching in the Iowa Core,” Callaghan said.

Most transitional programs are supplementary and don’t adhere to core standards, he explained — which is exactly why the state doesn’t consider transitional kindergartners “1.0 students.” Callaghan said Newton’s approach to this clarification will depend on enrollment numbers in the age groups close to kindergarten and first grade.

The superintendent said he doesn’t want to be cynical, but he knows part of the directive is about state money and budgets. If every student in Iowa was asked to go through a year of transitional kindergarten, state funding would be needed for at least 14 years of education, rather than 13 — and that’s assuming the student is never held back in any other grades.

Callaghan said it’s his understanding there was “scrambling and gnashing of teeth” at a recent curriculum directors meeting when the DOE information was presented. He said the state’s approach is consistent with the DE’s focus on Iowa Core.

“I would liken it to teaching a child how to run the 100-meter dash,” Callaghan said. “Typically, the intuitive way would be to take them to the top of a hill and give them a nudge, and tell them to run down. We have to pick them up when they fall. The idea would not be to take them off the track, but to give them a rubber band or pull them along.”

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com