Albany proposal to reduce TK and K day to 3 hours

Is everyone aware of the Albany School Board meeting set for tonight where they're planning to vote to REDUCE the TK and Kindergarten day to 3 hours for the next four years due to the construction?

My husband and I only recently learned of a proposed change to the Albany TK and Kindergarten schedule that would reduce the day for those classes from 4.5 to 3 hours. It would start this fall and go through 2023 (though could last longer). Albany K is already shorter than the surrounding districts which range from 5:15 (Berkeley and El Cerrito to 5:50 and 6, Oakland and San Francisco), despite having a unified school tax rate that is double that of Berkeley. And this goes directly against the AB 197 bill, which proposes and promotes full-day kindergarten, which is currently working its way through the California legislature. If AB 197 passes, it would go into effect starting in the 2021-2022 school year, within the time period that this shorter day is being proposed. Governor Newsom has come out and said that he will give more funding to schools that have all day kindergarten.

A vote regarding this proposed change is set to take place tonight, January 22nd at Cornell Elementary School. I ask affected or potentially affected parents to email the board with their opinions, and possibly attend the meeting.

Thank you!

Kate (worried Albany mom)

Additionally, if this does pass, I will be seeking recommendations for alternate TK and K programs. Thank you in advance!