An increasing number of local school districts want to send half-day kindergarten the way of slates and chalk.
But finding the money to keep kindergartners in school all day instead of just a few hours is proving a challenge.
On April 7, voters in Haysville will decide whether to approve a tax increase to start all-day kindergarten. Starting next fall in Andover, families can sign up for a fee-based all-day kindergarten.
Some other districts, including Maize and Goddard, hope new classrooms under construction eventually will give them the space they need to launch an all-day program.
"Almost every district around us is doing this already," said Emily Schulte, a Haysville mom and leader of that district's Vote Yes for Kindergarten campaign.
"We're asking the members of our community to invest in education for our young ones and to say that this is important for all kids."
All-day kindergarten programs are booming in Kansas. The state Department of Education reports that enrollment has more than tripled over the past decade, even though state funding supports only half-day programs.
Read the complete story at kansas.com