PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As we approach the four-year mark since COVID-19, Philadelphia public schools are still seeing fewer 5-year-olds enrolled in kindergarten compared to pre-pandemic times.
According to the School District of Philadelphia, kindergarten enrollment went from almost 10,000 students in the 2019-2020 school year to 7,143 in 2020-2021 but rose to 8,326 in 2021-2022.
Overall, enrollment in district schools has been decreasing since 2014.
Schooling before age 6 isn’t required in Pennsylvania, and kindergarten enrollment in city public schools is still down about 10% from pre-COVID levels, which is significantly worse than statewide numbers.
In the 2019-2020 school year, 101,995 students were enrolled in kindergarten across the state. That number dropped significantly the following year, reaching 90,569. Last year, 99,238 were enrolled.
Erica Meyers has been a kindergarten teacher for eight years. She currently teaches at Ellwood Elementary in East Oak Lane and noted the importance of early education, saying she can see crucial growth before her eyes in the classroom.
“What is something you could not do before you came to kindergarten, but now you can?” she asked her classroom Monday. “Read!” a student exclaimed. “You can read now, awesome!” Meyers replied.
She says students are taught things like phonics and math, which prepare them for first grade.
“So you’re seeing when they go to first grade they’re reading, they’re writing sentences.”
Deputy Chief for Early Childhood Education Diane Castelbuono says kindergarten is an important academic and social foundation.
“Singing, playing, trying things out, investigating, exploring — those are how pre-k and kindergarten classrooms need to be set up to allow children to explore by doing and playing,” Castelbuono said.
“They’re learning how to share with others, they’re learning their ABCs and letters, they’re learning how to count, how to be independent, and most importantly they’re learning how to be confident learners.”
If your child will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, you can enroll them in kindergarten here through May 31.
If you’re looking for more information before enrolling your kid, consider attending the district’s Kindergarten Open House Day on March 7 or the Kindergarten Open House Week from May 8-12. The events are part of their Thrive at Five campaign to promote kindergarten enrollment.