This is understandable since these are the outlets for the final products of the education system and are thus the most visible. Recent studies have shown, however, that we face large shortfalls in the earliest grades. In 2000 in the 4th grade only 24% of students were proficient in reading and only 15% were proficient in math (Alpert 59). These trends of failure need to be addressed at the time when they begin instead of trying to fight years of bad habits in the last few years before the student leaves their schooling behind. The ideal place to do this is kindergarten. .
Currently there are two bills in the Legislature of the state to require mandatory kindergarten for all students. Although it is not likely that they will be passed at this time due to budget constraints, they are long overdue (Pardington 1). The expectations of the state are for children entering the first grade to have a firm grasp on basic reading skills. For those that currently do not attend kindergarten it is very likely that this requirement will not be met. It is even very likely that the child has not had any academic exposure at all. Lacking the first major educational assumption is no way to start out an academic career. The six to ten percent of parents that decide to place their children directly into first grade, possible because the current law is based on an age of 6 and not a grade, leave them at distinct disadvantages (Moore 1). Not only will they face more struggles because of their own lack of skill, but the education system will be laden with extra weight when it already cannot bear its load.
My proposal is to make Kindergarten mandatory the year that the child turns five years old and to have a voluntary, but state controlled, pre-school system. Eventually this pre-school system would become mandatory as well, but only after it is sufficiently established. Kindergarten would be a full day long and have specific goals to be met upon graduating children to the first grade.
