TM voters say yes to tuition-free full-day kindergarten

By Mike Berger

Canton joined the nearly 80 percent of Massachusetts communities that offer tuition-free full-day kindergarten after a clear majority of voters approved the measure at the final session of annual town meeting on Wednesday, May 11.

A similar proposal, sponsored by resident Tony Braconi, was defeated a year earlier at the 2015 town meeting; however, this year’s school-sponsored plan had built considerable momentum and came with the backing of the Finance Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and an enthusiastic group of parent supporters.

Last week’s affirmative vote authorizes the town to add $495,000 from free cash into the School Department’s $38.08 million budget, thus enabling the schools to launch the program in September. The total first-year cost is estimated at $620,000, with the balance ($125,000) to be paid for out of the existing kindergarten revolving account.

In future years, the School Committee will have to absorb the cost of full-day kindergarten into its operating budget, although the town will be eligible to receive additional Chapter 70 funds — currently estimated at $250,000 based on the governor’s recommended budget.

The majority of FinCom members (6-2) voted in favor of the article, but those who opposed it did not support funding a recurring operating expense from a non-recurring source of revenue. Those individuals felt that the School Committee should prioritize spending so that its most important priorities can be “met within the budget without relying on free cash.”

Much of the comments at town meeting focused on Canton’s need to catch up to the rest of the state with regard to kindergarten programming. Nearly 93 percent of Massachusetts kindergarten students are currently enrolled in full-day programs, according to statistics cited Wednesday night.

Speaking in support of the program were School Committee Chairman John Bonnanzio, resident Steve MacPherson, who organized a parent group and spearheaded a social media campaign, and Braconi, who sponsored a separate full-day kindergarten proposal. Braconi’s 2016 article, which ultimately was not necessary due to the passage of the school-sponsored article, was ruled out of order by Town Counsel Paul DeRensis, who said that an article cannot direct the School Committee to make a specific expenditure.

MacPherson said in today’s educational climate, a full-day kindergarten program is essential to prepare students for the high expectations that await them in first grade. “For my first grader who went through it, the level of his sophistication is amazing,” he said.

Braconi said he was pleased that the school article eliminated the $3,500 tuition and the full-day lottery process, which he said had been a source of anxiety for Canton parents. Braconi praised the efforts of MacPherson, School Committee member Reuki Schutt, and in particular the efforts of interim Superintendent Jen Henderson, who received a loud round of applause from the audience.

In other news from the May 11 town meeting session:

* Voters approved the spending recommendations of the Community Preservation Committee (CCPC), which totaled $385,815 for the following projects …

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