By Lori EhdeLuverne Schools may cut funding for all day every day kindergarten, but there are creative ways for students to continue the curriculum beyond the state-funded half-time program.During a work session earlier this month, staff and administration considered their options."The general consensus seems to be if we aren’t able to have all day every day kindergarten due to financial restrictions, the next-best option would be every day, half day option," said Superintendent Vince Schaefer.He and Elementary Principal Stacy Gillette and District Finance Officer Marlene Mann presented preliminary information to board members at their meeting Tuesday night.They looked at districts in Willmar and Montevideo that used every day half day programs supplemented with half-day fee-based programs.For example, students attend regular kindergarten in the morning and Kinder Plus or an enrichment program in the afternoon. The afternoon classes are optional and cost parents roughly $1,500 per year.When Willmar started the program four years ago, 60 percent of parents chose the Kinder Plus option. Now, 90 percent of the kindergartners attend the afternoon program.According to Tuesday’s discussion, Luverne’s tuition would likely be paid to Community Education with that money then directed to the general fund to pay kindergarten teachers.The plan would be that kindergarten teachers would continue into the afternoon, reinforcing the morning curriculum.ReactionBoard member Cary Radisewitz said, "Philosophically I struggle with the idea of parents having to come up with money for kindergarten. I remember how much money I had when my kids were that age."Board member Vicki Baartman said, "I wonder – and this is just a question – if we as a district should consider putting this off one more year to see what happens with the referendum in the fall."Mann said, "We’ve funded all day every day kindergarten for five years, and we’ve continued to make cuts in other programs through the years. … Kindergarten isn’t the only issue we need to fund through a referendum."Schaefer told board members they’ll have a difficult decision on their hands."Fiscal responsibility is one thing and educational responsibility is another," he said. "We have to look at money in one hand and education value in the other and somehow balance the two."BackgroundLuverne Schools started funding all day every day kindergarten five years ago with the understanding that the legislature would soon take over the costs."Back then, the legislature was making noise, at least verbally, about funding all day every day kindergarten," Schaefer said.The decision cost the district $120,000 per year, but the reasoning was that stellar education in the early years would save the district money long-term in special education costs. But since then, the state not only hasn’t funded kindergarten, it’s frozen all education spending for the past three years.Meanwhile School Board members have had to make difficult funding cuts to other programs in the district while all day every day kindergarten continued to drain $120,000 per year from the general fund.No action was taken Tuesday night, but board member Colleen Deutsch asked about the possibility of scheduling a community meeting on the subject."This is huge, and it affects so many people," she said. "I just wouldn’t feel comfortable making a decision about this without getting community input."The board will also consider surveys, mailings and information on the district Web site, www.isd2184.net.Other options if all day every day kindergarten is cut would beohalf day every day in the morning,ohalf day every day in the afternoon andoall day every other day.Gillette said she’ll survey this year’s kindergarten parents on those options and ask for other feedback as well."I’m hoping to get information back next week, so I’ll get it to you when I get it," she said.She said she spoke to teachers about the issue this week. "With additional state standards … they’re concerned," she said. "With cutbacks in kindergarten plus cutbacks in title (Title I aides) things are going to be affected."Schaefer said he welcomes comments and questions from the public, and he encourages district residents to also call their representatives on the board.