Full-day kindergarten starts in September 2026

What happened

Hillsborough launched full-day kindergarten across its elementary schools in the 2026-27 school year, which the district says the redistricting made room for. The budget adds 12 kindergarten teachers, 10 elementary lunch aides and two elementary supervisors, part of 29 new positions costing about $2.3 million including benefits. Teachers were given professional development on learning through play and a new kindergarten curriculum was written for it. The change ends the district's paid Children at Play programme, which had covered the second half of the kindergarten day and brought in about $500,000 a year in tuition.

Why it matters to families

Kindergarten families no longer need to pay for or arrange the afternoon, which is one of the biggest cost and childcare changes a district can make for young families. It also costs money: the district gives up $500,000 of tuition revenue and takes on 22 new staff at a time when state aid is falling.

The evidence

The March 23, 2026 meeting recording carries the assistant superintendent confirming full-day kindergarten on schedule for 2026-27 with the staff preparation described, and the business administrator itemising the 29 new positions, the 12 kindergarten teachers and 10 lunch aides, their $2.3 million cost, and the $500,000 tuition loss as the Children at Play programme ends.

The source