Christina Weiland speaks with EdSurge about policy considerations pertaining to mandatory kindergarten attendance

In recent years, there has been a broad push to expand access to childcare and early education—most notably through universal Pre-K programs—reports EdSurge. But a lesser-known appeal to make kindergarten mandatory has been underway for far longer. Research proves that enrolling students in kindergarten yields long-term benefits both academically and socially, however only 20 states legally require families to enroll their children in kindergarten.

“Any time a group of kids are being underserved, it’s not good for the kid or family,” Marsal School Professor Christina Weiland tells EdSurge. “But for the teacher, if students are placed in first grade and they are behind, it places more demand on teachers on how to get every kid to the same place.”

Each state has its own approach—whether kindergarten is mandatory, optional, or a pre-requisite to enter first grade.

“It’s not just about parent choice: They offer half day, and you often have to pay for full day [care], which is a real access problem where policies could make a difference,” Weiland says. “A push toward offering full day is probably more meaningful, at least on the equity side.”

A kindergarten mandate could also potentially help increase enrollment numbers, says Weiland, who points toward states like Vermont, Maine and West Virginia that have all been hit particularly hard with enrollment dips and had to close down schools.

“We have these school enrollment crises, where the birth cohorts are getting smaller, and it doesn’t make great financial sense for kindergarten classrooms to go under-enrolled,” she says. “That could have some political momentum to increase enrollment numbers.”