KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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The Shawnee Mission School District has placed a growing importance on early childhood education. Next year, the district will have 60 additional pre-K spots.
Chelsea Kracht has a daughter in SMSD's pre-K. She said pre-K is about more than just ABCs, it’s preparing kids for the next level of education.
“She has been actually learning to read. So ... that's what's been very crazy,” Kracht said.
Kracht said it has helped prepare her child for the realities of school life, too.
“I think kindergarten readiness is some of the academics, but also it's their confidence in being in the school system,” she said.
The child's confidence as well as their parents, Kracht said.
“It actually helped me get ready for her going to school. She's my first,” Kracht said. “Getting ready to go into line. How do I get in there? All the niceties that go in.”
Families at two more Shawnee Mission elementary schools will have pre-K available next year.
“We will actually be adding two, Pawnee and Tomahawk,” said Leigh Anne Neal, SMSD chief of early childhood education. “We'll have 21 of our 34 schools with a pre-K classroom.”
Neal said the expansion is part of a broader effort to expand early childhood education across the district.
“We know that early childhood education is critical. Ninety percent of brain development occurs before a child turns five,” she said.
The district takes 4-year-olds first, then opens pre-K up to 3-year-olds if there is still space. For schools that don’t fill up immediately, enrollment is always open for families to start at any point in the year.
While pre-K services are expanding, Neal said space remains a challenge.
“We hear from families all the time, 'We really wish our schools had a pre-K,'" Neal said. “Space is a challenge for us at some of our buildings.”
If your child’s school doesn’t offer pre-K, there may be another school nearby that does. For families that fear the challenge of price, Neal broke down the cost.
“Some of our students are funded through special education, some of our students are funded through Title I funding for at-risk … and that allows student families to send their children at no cost,” she said. “We began offering a fee-based pre-K as well; it's $3,500 for the year.”
Kracht said it was worth the price for her family.
“It was a little more cost-effective, which, you know, anything helps, especially with young kids,” Kracht said.
SMSD pre-K is half a day, but Johnson County Parks and Recreation and the YMCA provide wraparound care and snow day care.
