http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Josie/Where%20We%20Live%2002-25-2011.mp3
Governor Malloy is pushing to increase the minimum age for kindergarten, hoping to close the achievement gap and raise test scores.
The state's plan is simple. To enter kindergarten, a child would need to turn 5 by October first...rather than the current date of January 1. The bill would also keep 7-year-olds out of kindergarten. It means more kids are closer to the same age- something that would make sense for a lot of schools.
But some educational activists say this will cause financial hardships for low-income families, forcing them to pay for an extra year of pre-school.
Universal pre-k could help-but that's unlikely to happen in this terrible budget year. Today we'll explore the proposed legislation - and talk to some of the nations top child development experts about the realities.
Do those few months of development really make a difference? Should 4 year olds be studying alongside 7 year olds?
