Hoosiers support full-day kindergarten

INDIANAPOLIS -- About three-quarters of Indiana residents support state-funded full-day kindergarten, and more than 60 percent say they would support the programs even if taxes were raised to pay for them, according to a survey released Wednesday.\nEducation advocates could use the survey by IU's Center for Evaluation and Education Policy to help garner lawmaker support for full-day kindergarten, which Gov. Mitch Daniels plans to push as a top priority during the legislative session.\nSuellen Reed, the state's superintendent for public instruction, predicted supporters would cite the survey during General Assembly debates about full-day kindergarten. Teachers and other education officials have worked to stress the importance of such programs for years, Reed said, and the survey results show that people now know and like the idea.\n"All of that work is beginning to pay off," Reed said. "If it's going to happen, this is going to be the year. I'm very hopeful."\nThe survey questioned 612 Indiana residents ages 18 or older in November and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.\nJonathan Plucker, director of IU's Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, said the survey found support for full-day kindergarten that was not seen for other programs.\n"Indiana citizens have been paying attention," Plucker said. "They really like the idea."\nAbout 76 percent said all school districts should be required to offer full-day kindergarten, while 58 percent think children should be required to attend full-day kindergarten.\nDaniels, however, does not favor mandatory full-day kindergarten. He wants optional programs in all school districts so that parents can decide whether their children attend full- or half-day programs.\nThe survey also found that 61 percent said they support increasing taxes to pay for full-day kindergarten, although raising taxes isn't part of the governor's plan.\nDaniels wants to phase in full-day kindergarten over three years, starting with students from low-income families this year. The price tag is about $145 million for the next budget but would grow to $260 million a year between 2011 and 2012. Daniels said the state budget is now in the black and can afford the phase-in approach without a tax hike.\nBut Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Meeks, R-LaGrange, has raised concerns that full-day kindergarten could force some school districts to increase property taxes to build extra classroom space and other necessities to accommodate such programs.\nThe education survey, which included questions about a variety of education topics, also found that 65 percent rated schools in their districts as excellent or good. But minority residents were more likely to rate their schools as poor than white residents.\nReed said the survey shows that many people are proud of schools in their communities.\n"People believe their local schools are doing a good job," Reed said. "Those are the schools that they know best"