Polis administration confident kindergarten can be paid for

Gov. Jared Polis’ administration is confident lawmakers will find the money to pay for higher-than-anticipated participation in full-day kindergarten in the 2019-2020 school year.

Polis spokesman Connor Cahill tells The Colorado Sun the administration will work with lawmakers to ensure funding of Polis’ top priority this past legislative session.

The Sun cited an education department survey suggesting high participation in full-day kindergarten could cost $40 million more than the $175 million that was budgeted.

To date, Colorado has ensured funding for half-day kindergarten. School districts offering full-day kindergarten pay for it with local property taxes, by charging families, or by using funding designed for pre-school or other programs.