You may remember that when the current two-year budget passed, there was much concern about unfunded or underfunded mandates being placed on school districts when they were least able to afford them.

But perhaps one of the most highly publicized mandates that arose from the budget was the requirement that all of Ohio’s school districts provide all-day, every-day kindergarten.

While many of us can agree that all-day kindergarten is not only advantageous for children but is also more convenient for parents who work during the day, the reality is that many districts simply cannot afford all-day kindergarten because they do not receive the state assistance that some other districts receive.

The current school funding formula specifies that school districts with high poverty rates are given state assistance to provide all-day kindergarten.

Some school districts that do not receive this state aid also do not have all-day kindergarten simply because they lack the facilities or the staff to provide it. Those that currently charge tuition or a fee for programs will be legally barred from doing so during the next school year, meaning those programs will be canceled or teachers from other areas of the school will need to be laid off to shift the money to the kindergarten programs.

To address the concerns of those districts that are facing financial difficulties and cannot afford all-day kindergarten, House Bill 30 will effectively remove the state requirement that every district provide the all-day program regardless of each individual district’s financial situation. It will also allow our schools to find their own means of funding the kindergarten programs, including the fee and tuition-based solutions. I am wholeheartedly in support of this legislation, and I believe it will offer flexibility for the cash-strapped school districts across Ohio.

With all the recent pieces of legislation passing through the Ohio House, there are bound to be some misconceptions that arise —one of them being what the repeal of all-day kindergarten will mean for schools that are already offering it.

We must look at the issue outside of a big-government frame of mind and look at it from a local standpoint.

Let’s be clear. House Bill 30 does not mean that districts across the state and especially in our area that are already offering all-day kindergarten will be forced to eliminate it. A lot of our local school districts started all-day kindergarten many years ago. Additionally, this legislation does not cut one dime of state funding for kindergarten.

With the legislature taking on a whole host of policy issues such as this, there is going to be a lot of dialogue which unfortunately can lead to misinformation, but I hope I have put some fears to rest about the issue of kindergarten for our schools.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding state government, feel to contact me and I will do my best to help you navigate the complexities of state government.

John Carey serves in Ohio’s 87th District of the House of Representatives, which includes eastern Lawrence County. He may be reached at (614) 466-1366 or by writing to: Ohio House of Representatives, 77 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215. He can also be reached via e-mail his office at District87@ohr.state.oh.us.