BREAKING NEWS: Full-day Kindergarten Proposed

Grafton could offer full-day kindergarten starting next year, Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings told School Committee members tonight.

Cummings made the proposal during the initial budget presentation for FY13.

Providing a full day of kindergarten instruction has “proven very beneficial for students’’ and will “make the district stronger,’’ Cummings said.

Transitioning from half-day to full-day kindergarten will eventually save the district money, because of the additional state aid that will result, he said.

The added money results because the students will be counted as full-time rather than half-time and state money will increase accordingly.

He estimated that the district would receive an additional $341,040 in state aid based on the current number of students. That number would be higher if more students enroll, which he said is likely because some students now attend private and other outside programs that offer the full-day experience.

The district would also save $45,000 by eliminating the mid-day bus.

This increase will be offset by the need to hire seven full-time equivalents of seven kindergarten teachers at an estimated total cost of $349,230.

He said the district would gain an additional $36,810 based on current student enrollment projections.