Virginia Beach, Va. - A proposed Virginia General Assembly bill would require schools in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake to offer full-day kindergarten.
The bill, SB 279, was introduced at this year's General Assembly session by Virginia Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D- 33rd District).
Of 53 schools in Virginia Beach, only 11 offer full-day kindergarten. In Chesapeake, seven schools offer full-day kindergarten, with 852 full-day students and 1,614 enrolled in half-day.
Chesapeake and Virginia Beach are two of only four districts in the state who do not have full-day kindergarten.
Many parents would like for schools to offer full-day kindergarten, but funding seems to be an issue.
If the bill were to pass, school districts would have until 2017 to come up with a plan on implementing the full-day schedule. The full-day kindergarten classes would need to be in place within five years.
The plans would be presented before the 2017 General Assembly session.
