After many years of discussion and speculation, during this most recent session state legislators and ultimately Gov. Jay Inslee approved funding in the state operating budget that will allow for a greater number of schools to offer full-day kindergarten to some students.
As detailed in a article in today’s Post-Record, the funding is a step toward compliance with the Supreme Court McCleary decision, which mandates that lawmakers must fully fund basic education, including kindergarten, by 2018. In its first year, grants for full-day kindergarten at schools with the highest rates of poverty were given first priority.