Earlier this month, I wrote a story about Gov. Jan Brewer’s new budget proposal that includes eliminating state support of full-day kindergarten. Under legislation passed last year, school districts could still provide full-day kindergarten, either by charging tuition or by funding it locally through the money they do receive.

A little history lesson: Full-day kindergarten funded by state funds has been in play in Arizona just a few years. I believe my son, now 7, was in the first class to receive that benefit.

Since my story has run, and in discussions with parents in the past, I know there are several parents out there who are NOT in favor of full-day kindergarten. There is at least one charter school group that only offers half-day kindergarten. In fact, its operator said it saw an INCREASE in enrollment when school districts started offering full-day options.

School districts now are required to offer half-day options if parents want it. The vast majority of parents, based on numbers reviewed by the Tribune, choose the full-day option.

Proponents of full-day kindergarten said they’ve seen a jump in the educational ability of first- through third-graders since Arizona took this on.

Opponents believe children should have the chance to be children and to keep play a major part of the day.

When my son entered kindergarten, if memory serves right, I was working full time. I know as I searched for a school for him, I sought out programs that had a full-time option. It was partly because I worked full-time, but also because I thought he was ready for it. He had spent two years in a half-day preschool program.

Now, it’s my daughter’s turn. She is currently in a full-day prekindergarten program. She was an early talker. It wasn’t just one or two words that came out when she started to speak, it was full sentences. We felt she would benefit from a full-day program.

So with the state considering eliminating full-day kindergarten funding, and the other restraints on school districts, I realize there is the possibility our school district could choose to charge tuition for the other half of the day.

I feel parents can make the decision on what’s best for their child. Even in schools that don’t have a “true” half-day option today, parents are able – and they do – to pick up their children before or after lunch.

For our little girl, who is already in a full-day program, I don’t think she would benefit from going to a half-day program. And given the fact that I work full-time - should a change happen in our district, I imagine I’ll be one of the ones who opt for the full-time tuition plan.