[Times photo: Joseph Garnett Jr.]
Prekindergarten students settle down for an afternoon nap Thursday at Pizzo Elementary School on the campus of the University of South Floria. Hillsborough could be one of 10 districts to test a new state prekindergarten program. Preschool fights to regain license
TAMPA - If Gov. Jeb Bush accepts the Legislature's controversial plan for universal prekindergarten, the Hillsborough and Pasco school districts soon will be functioning as guinea pigs.
Those two districts, along with eight others in Florida, have been ordered to launch pilot programs this summer. That gives them about three weeks to prepare intensive "school readiness" academies for hundreds of 4-year-olds.
District officials will be scrambling to hire certified teachers, market the programs to parents and find available classrooms that fit legislative mandates.
The bill requires school districts to provide students with 300 hours of instruction over the summer. To meet that target, 4-year-olds will be in class 7.5 hours a day for eight weeks.
The goal is to quickly bring children up to speed on skills they will need for kindergarten. For some kids, it might be the first time an adult has read a book to them. Others will be learning their colors. All will be exposed to routine tasks - washing hands, walking in a straight line, sitting quietly in a circle - that make a kindergarten teacher's job easier.
How the children do could determine the fate of the voter-mandated measure to offer voluntary, "high quality" prekindergarten classes to Florida's youngest learners. Parents of all 4-year-olds in the state are supposed to be able to choose either public or private prekindergarten programs by the start of the 2005-06 school year.
Earlier this week, Bush expressed doubt about the merits of the Legislature's proposal, which he said didn't measure up to his expectations. Bush, for example, wanted 720 hours of instruction a year. The Legislature's version capped at 540 hours.
The governor said he is still contemplating a veto. Pasco and Hillsborough officials say they hope his decision comes soon.
"We're pretty much on hold, but we are looking at the possibilities," said Maria Crosby, director of prekindergarten services for the Pasco school district. "We're losing ground as every day goes by. We're ready to do whatever the governor decides we need to do. But every day that goes by makes it a greater challenge for us."
If there is no veto, Hillsborough likely would start with 290 children in 29 classrooms across the county. Pasco would open 18 classes for 180 students. The legislation limits the student-teacher ratio to 10-to-1. It also requires that classes reflect a demographic cross-section of Florida students.
It's not clear how students will be selected, but officials said the programs will be open to all 4-year-olds.
Hillsborough and Pasco asked to be included in the pilot. Both school districts already have active prekindergarten projects in place that can be readily expanded.
"You're in at the beginning and at the table when discussions are being held about what works and what doesn't," said Hillsborough school superintendent Earl Lennard. "I always encourage my folks to be early innovators. This way, instead of being in the on-deck circle we'll be in the batter's box (when the full-year programs begin)."
But getting into the game will take some doing.
Susan Morris, the school readiness supervisor for Hillsborough, said finding certified teachers willing to abandon summer plans could be a challenge.
"A lot of teachers are just plain old tired," she said. "I sent out an e-mail (Tuesday) to my 47 pre-K teachers and I had five that responded that they might be interested."
Other tasks include determining which schools will open prekindergarten classrooms and what curriculum will be used.
"We would need more direction from the state," Crosby said. "The questions that we have pertain to curriculum - can we choose our own? If there's a specific curriculum, we'd need to acquire it and do some training."
One aspect school officials won't have to worry about is money. The state is providing $2,500 per pupil for the summer programs.
However it plays out, Morris said she and her staff are eager to get started.
"Any time we can provide a service for children than will help them be successful in school, we're excited about the opportunity," she said.
