Calling on the Governor of Pennsylvania, the State House of Representatives and the State Senate to continue to fund full day Kindergarten.

WHEREAS, Full-day kindergarten advocates have stated that Governor Corbett's proposed budget cuts would eliminate grants that fund after school programs and full-day kindergarten; and

WHEREAS, A child's education is the most important factor in determining his or her future quality of life; and

WHEREAS, Full-day kindergarten is an important educational resource for our children that benefits them academically, socially and emotionally; and

WHEREAS, Kindergarten teaches basic life skills and prepares students for the first grade and beyond; and

WHEREAS, Kindergarten teaches children how to socialize, how to play with others, how to be less self-centered, how to wait, how to follow instructions, how to take turns, how to work in a team, and how to interact with peers; and

WHEREAS, Kindergarten allows students to get accustomed to a full school day; and

WHEREAS, Full-day kindergarten allows parents more flexibility to work and provide for their families while their children are being educated in a formal and structured environment; and

WHEREAS, Kindergarten helps children develop social skills, communication skills and impacts healthy emotional and psychological development, all of which impact their further development as a teenager and young adult into adulthood; and

RESOLVED,

That the Philadelphia City Council hereby Calls on the Governor of Pennsylvania, the State House of Representatives and the State Senate to continue to fund full day Kindergarten; and

FURTHER RESOLVED,

That a Copy of this Resolution be given to the Governor of Pennsylvania, the State House of Representatives and the State Senate.

End