Kindergarten class numbers up across Oklahoma

Wednesday, April 13th 2005, 5:38 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State School Superintendent Sandy Garrett says the increasing number of children attending kindergarten classes in Oklahoma is good news for the future of education.

Garrett's assessment came Tuesday before the state House Appropriations and Budget Committee, which hasn't acted on Governor Brad Henry's education proposal, which would provide $24-million to expand all-day kindergarten.

She cited a new Department of Education report showing that 60.3 percent or 28,409 of the 44,144 kindergarten students in the state now attend full-day kindergarten programs.

A year ago, 46.5 percent of 46,426 students.

Some experts say kindergarten classes are important to give children a head start on the education process.

Garrett says because Oklahoma's kindergarten classes are taught by early childhood certified teachers, the state is considered to be a national leader in the area.