there are studies that show that the 4K advantage is gone by third grade RAmen
gazettextra.com/news/2007/dec/11/4k-okd-for-janesville/

Sconnie--so parents are working now, as opposed in June Cleaver's time tax payers should pay for it? Should we tuck them in bed for you as well? All this talk is really pointless anyway as its not going to happen any time soon. Big break for the tax payers.

Sconnie, well said!

Spend the money, ( as if there is any) getting these kids ready for college. More advanced classes, more curriculum at the high school and Junior high.. That is where they are behind other schools. They are behind where it counts.

My 4 year old started P4J this year. Did i think she really needed to go. No i didt. She wanted to go to school so bad i enrolled her. She just absolutly loves it. she has learned so much and learned things i could not have even thought of teaching. Also has obtained things i could not give, A friend. with what she has gained I would gladly pay my share. The parents where she goes do provide snacks and things hear and there. Small price in my opinion. However the sad part is after this year she may never see that friend again because they may go to a diffrent school. I teach my daughter the best i can. Pre K is teaching her the things i cant or dont know how. I pay property taxes like alot of people. money well spent in my opinion. but also would be willing to pay more for her to go in addition to taxes. enough rambling from me.

Many of you speaking against this topic have obviously never seen the impact of a program like this. All of the talk about you not needing it because you were raised without 4K is non-sense. This is a different time, culture, and community. The days of Ward Cleaver going to work, coming home to June-the-care-giver opening the door for him upon his return from work are long gone. Wake-up! The advantages of this program far outweigh the disadvantages. The families that cannot afford daycare (and there are many) have many of the kids that are coming unprepared to school. There are also families that can afford structured daycare and do so, but do not follow-up at home with educating their children because they are exhausted from working as a 2-income family and thensome in this day and age. Then when they do come to school they fight with the system and blame the schools rather than look in the mirror.

This program readies kids for not only kindergarden, but gets all students either on a level playing filled, advances them further, or identifies those that are in need of help and gets them an early intervention. In talking to kidergarden teachers where the program is offered there is a noticeable difference in the students and their preparedness for school. This allows you to raise the bar for learning instead of sitting at our outdated, minimalistic expectations for students of this country. If you think Milton is immune to the problems that lead to poverty and underachievement of students in this country you have been snow-balled. Look at the unemployment rate and you will see a generation down the road what sitting still and doing things the same way we have always done them will get you. In case you haven't noticed it is already happening.

There is no doubt a cost for this program. It is a cost that the state (albeit in a round about way through tax dollars) kicks in for. In fact, it is safe to say under the current aid model this program would pay for itself in a very short period of time and could relieve some of the tax burden on this community. Wake up and start doing what is right for children and not punishing them because as adults we cannot see the light or the future!

sorry swiss chick I did not know you were being funny.

Swiss Chick have you been drinking already today// MOST people expect parents to take care of their own kids, and that includes teaching them a few things before they make it to the ripe age of five and kindergarten. Tax payers should not have to pay for what parents should be doing.. NO 4 K in Milton. thank goodness

Be a (real) parent out there and do your own obligations yourself. It's part of having children. People shouldn't expect taxpayers to take care of their children from the time they are born. IMO

Pete, you make some outrageous claims. Did you also invent the question mark? Maybe people can't afford Day Care because they have a start up business and not because they smoke, drink and do drugs all day. I'm also pretty sure that when I attended Milton High, we didn't get new books every year. And maybe a US History class isn't the best place for an economics lesson. I want to hear one person who went homeless because of their property taxes. Maybe they lost their home because they were not financially prepared for financial disasters. Too much credit card debt, car loans, and not enough savings. That is the true root to this problem.

curtaincall - re: your 5:27am post - You expect parents to spend their own time with their children, teaching them things, reading, etc., when the taxpayers should be doing that?? (Sarcasm). Ha!
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Anyway, both my Mom and Dad, who is a big ole' farmer, read to me and started me writing on a regular basis before I ever went to school. It never would've crossed their minds that taxpayers should be paying for their time with their kids. Sheesh!
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Be a (real) parent out there and do your own obligations yourself. It's part of having children. People shouldn't expect taxpayers to take care of their children from the time they are born. IMO

My son attended Janesville P4J last year, and, my daughter does this year. However, all this has done is make preschool for 3-year-olds of those that can afford it a bigger necessity. The reality is this: we all want to give our children an advantage in life. So, when ALL kids went to kindergarten, those of us who could afford to sent their kids to preschool. Now that ALL kids go to 4-year-old preschool, we are trying to get them 'ready' for preschool by sending them to 3-year old preschool. Not all children are going to have an even start. Period. Those who are less fortunate have Headstart. If your child has special needs there a myriad of programs to help them adjust. If you can afford preschool, pay for it. If you can't spend the time with your child and teach them the basics that they learn there (colors, numbers, being kind to one another, etc). I think it is ridiculous that in trying to be politically correct, we are continually pushing children from their homes at ever- increasing younger ages.

Milton not having 4-K will not make it a less desirable school district.

Way to go Milton, considering my tax dollars already pay for, Badger Care, Head Start, and a number of other welfare options, that are taken advantage of everyday. I am glad part time day care won't be a new one. Here's a great idea take some time yourself to teach your kids the things they would be learning in a PreK program. Just a thought, you know parents raising their own kids, and teaching them the very basics to prepare them for the higher education of kindergarten.

werpknarly: Until I've been where? In debt, without enough money to go around? You don't know where I've been or the sacrafices I've made for my child. I quit my job to stay home & start a business so I could do what's best for our family. I work with people everyday that use child care assistance. If you need it, apply for it. Kids don't have to suffer. You can always teach them yourself & there are free programs like at the Exchange Family Resource Center-parent education, resources, play groups, etc- on Milwaukee street that can help you.

Thanks curtaincall and Pete. Very well said.

There are plenty of "preschools" out there without having one to be taxpayer-funded. IMO

OntheNE, Untill you been there, you dont know. Ive always belived the majority should not suffer for the errors of the few. i guess you feel different. AND the child still suffers. thats what make you happy? helps you sleep at night?

People say they can't afford preschool. Why? And why then does the public need to pay for your child to go? In all reality, either you pay for preschool weekly/monthly or you pay for it with your taxes. You WILL pay for it. But yes I'm resentful that I would have to pay for someone else's child to go to preschool when there's plenty of options already available in our community already at reasonable rates. Not it's not free but what is? And there's assistance for anyone who qualifies. If you don't qualify, maybe you just need to adjust your priorities or get another job. I know a family that says they couldn't afford preschool. Mom used to work PT but doesn't any more. And they're taking the whole family to Disney. I think they can afford preschool.

but i guess if your not poor, your not going to worry because you can afford good preschool. those 'other kids' are not your concern.

head start for milton 4 year olds? sounds good..??? http://www.cfsheadstart.org/ meybe your 4 year old can ride the janesville city bus there?

I am glad to see parents actually came out for this board meeting. Now is not the time for 4k anywhere. It is a huge expense and no money for it. You know its is nothing more than these schools trying to keep up with the other schools. If they are going to spend that much money, which they don't have. They need to do a better job getting these high school kids ready for college. The curriculum at Milton high school is what is behind. Not a lot of options. There is not much for ap classes. So many ways they could improve things for the kids that are already in the school system instead of adding a burden of trying to pay for a 4k. Get used to it folks there is no money.

smart move by the Milton school board.

4k is not going to put us ahead of the rest of the world. It has limited benefits at best. Head Start is a excellent opportunity for 3&4 year olds and it covers the same things as 4K, it is also free to the parent. Maybe parents should pick up a book and read to their child, play a numbers game, that one can make up. People are so concerned that if they don't buy their kids the latest learning gadgets or games they will fall behind. Where as there kids would be a lot further ahead with a little one on one time with mom and dad.. Parents have just as much ability to teach their kids at four years of age as any college diploma person. It's not brain surgery they are 4 years old. But to many parents are to lazy to take the time and put in the effort. To busy from working 40 hours a week so they can buy their kids all the latest. Not one of us on this blog had 4k its nothing but daycare at tax payer expense.

to bad for the kids and our country... the rest of the world is leaving us behind.

People are going to be homeless because of a 4K program? What an silly thing to say. What about the families that will save thousands on child care? Not to mention teaching social skills to children before they go to full day school. And did I read that it would make money? So what's the problem?

bbbbbboooooooooo bbbbboooooooooooo once again Milton you are dropping the ball

Maybe there could be some sort of middle ground. The district provides the services and the families pay a reduced or partial cost? Could it be dependent on income? Aren't there other options?

Pete - well said.

"You are asking me to change the way I do things with God's word and put it at the end of the day," Sonntag said.

What? God's word? I'm sorry but that is a ridiculous statement. The religious schools and daycare providers are just mad because they might lose money. If a person wants their child to go to a religious school, they will send them even if they have to pay for it. They are paying for it right now, aren't they? In Janesville lots of churches have the 4K program, as well as privately owned daycare centers and preschools.
I live in the Janesville district and send my 4 year old to preschool in Milton, which I pay for. Preschool/4K is not in any way glorified daycare. Both of my kids have learned so much in the last 2 weeks! Its not like its all day, so I can't work during the time they are there anyway. I feel so much more confident that my kids are attending preschool and will be ready to start kindergarten.

I can only imagine the depth of understanding of religion demonstrable by four-year-olds.

n behalf of district kindergarten and special education teachers in favor of 4K.??? The school by law has to give services to special needs regardless. They do NOT need 4k to do that. He knows that and that is a poor excuse in favor of.