Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, AUSD kindergartners will stay in school until 2 pm four days a week, rather than getting out at 12:40 and/or 1:40 pm as they do currently. Wednesdays will remain an early release day to provide collaboration time for sites.
 
The new “modified full-day” program, which the Board approved 5-0 on November 8, 2022, more closely matches the programs offered by most school districts in Alameda County.
 
The Board also voted to plan for a full-day program - with a release time that matches that of students in grades 1 through 5 - in the 2024-25 school year. The Board chose this incremental approach for two reasons: a)  a true full-day program will cost approximately $450,000 for additional staff; and b) expanding the kindergarten program effectively requires time to plan thoughtfully and collaboratively withthe district’s educators.
 
“Research shows that such full-day kindergarten programs confer social, emotional, and academic benefits on kindergarteners and can help close opportunity and achievement gaps,” Superintendent Scuderi says. “As such, we believe this is an important step toward providing a foundational instructional program across our sites that better supports all of our students.”
 
“As a board, we unanimously agreed that the early release time was creating equity issues in our district related to instructional time, opportunities for social and emotional development, and access to childcare,” says President Jennifer Williams. “We are excited to introduce this programmatic change to our students and families alike.”
 
Kindergarten enrollment events begin in January. More information about the longer day will be provided next month, but the enrollment timeline for 2023-24 school year is available on our website.

• 2023-24 Enrollment Timeline