It's tough to believe in this economy, but Fresno Unified School District plans to hire teachers. The district also wants to add more classes.
Tuesday Superintendent Michael Hanson announced a plan to add transitional kindergarten classes to every elementary school over the next two years. It's a long term plan to increase graduation rates and decrease dropouts. The idea is to get kids on the path to success early. It also coincides with the new law that increases the age students have to be to start kindergarten.
Four and five year old students in a transitional kindergarten class learn and play instruments a Thomas Elementary School classroom. It's one of two pilot programs in Fresno Unified. Amber Flores enrolled her son, Rossi, who, according to his age, was on the cusp of starting kindergarten.
“We couldn't afford preschool and he was getting to the age where he needed to be in kindergarten,” said Flores.
Hanson wants transitional kindergarten, which is three hours of instruction every day, available at every school.
“We simply need to have more time with our kids with effective teachers across our entire city,” said Hanson. “This is a long range strategy for increasing graduation rates and decreasing dropout rates. It's the right thing to do for our city.”
It would mean hiring more teachers, which is something Fresno Unified is proud of, especially during a time when many districts are making cuts. School Board Trustee Janet Ryan says layoffs are not a threat this year.
“That is because of good staff and board planning to have a healthy reserve,” said Ryan.
The district is already balancing next year's budget. If the California tax initiative is passed by voters, it'll mean more money for programs like transitional kindergarten.
“It's just so important to get that first year… to get them moving so they’re excited to go later on,” said Flores.
If voters approve the tax initiative, K-12 schools in the state stand to gain $4.4 billion in 2013. If it fails, that amount of money could be cut.
