Our home school district recently had a fight about this issue, because the district wanted to pull kindergarten back to half day and the parents were really mad because they felt that the children needed the extra class time.  The argument was that today’s kindergarten is more like yesterday’s first grade, and that expectations have risen quite a bit since our own school days.  Apparently, the tide is turning back to full day, according to this article from CNN and the Associated Press.  Many kindergarteners are learning the basics of math and science, and they need the extra time to cover all of the material.  In fact, 65% of our nation’s kindergarten classes are now full time, according to the article.

Kindergarten is no longer just babysitting.  These kids are learning real information, on a different academic level than many would think a five year old can handle.  The Associated Press article says that today’s kindergarten classes cover math and reading basics, as well as history, science, civics, geography and economics.  There is still some variability across school districts with regard to scheduling and academic rigor, so it is probably a good idea to check with your child’s school to see what their kindergarten curriculum will include.  That way, you avoid big surprises, and above all, you can set your expectations properly.  Kindergarten has changed, so be aware that your child’s early elementary education will look quite a bit different than your own.