DUBOIS – The DuBois Area School District decided to vote on the moving back the entry age for Kindergarten after a presentation by kindergarten study group on the subject. The primary motivation for the move were worries over the emotional and maturity readiness of the younger students, and that the new curriculum put in place in the 2006-2007 school year is too much for an group that was argued to traditionally be borderline already.
The Kindergarten Study group was composed of nine members: Cindy Reese, Darlene Stuart, Alex Scull, Don Mowrey, Tim Deluccia, Jill Schwab, Janet Zimmerman, Bev Kurts and Thom Repine, four of whom are members of the board.
The study looked at students born in the months of June, July and August and would five in these months prior to that school year. As the DuBois School District no longer officially screens kindergarten entries for ability any child who is old enough can attend kindergarten if their parents wish it. The proposed changes include reinstating the screen process, but not sure what standard to use yet. Change the cut-off date so the child has to be five by July 1 instead of the current September 1. To work closely with agencies that provide preschool programs. Also to create an intentional back door for children would qualify under the current date range, but can be proven under yet to be decided criteria to be ready for kindergarten.
The change in curriculum for kindergarten is part of a larger set of changes in order to prepare students for the third grade PSSA tests. Kindergarten students now have to count to a 100 by 1s and 10s instead of just 20 verbally and write up to a 100. Be able to identify coins. Add and subtract up to 20. Also begin taking more initial steps towards reading.
This new curriculum began in the 2006-2007 school year, and in data gathered over the last three years 22 of the teacher recommended 60 students had been held back. Of those held back 18 and 46 of the recommended were known to be in Summer months.
It was the belief of some of the study group and many of the kindergarten and first grade teachers present that a bad first couple years would follow the students throughout their education careers. The data gathered by the Kindergarten Study Group showed those born in the Summer months were the third highest grouping to do poor half way through kindergarten. On the third grade PSSAs they had the highest basic and below basic rate for reading and second highest on math. However, the eight grade PSSA showed those who had been born in the Summer months to have the highest advanced rating percentage of the groups. The groupings were split in three month sections, and took into account those who would have five to five and three months when they entered Kindergarten. The data was gathered over the current classes of the mentioned three grades over the last three years, and thus only the kindergarten data includes the impact of the new curriculum.