This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Members of the Utah House on Thursday voted 58-16 in favor of a proposal to provide $10M in additional funding for full-day kindergarten classes.

Full-day kindergarten, also known as "enhanced" kindergarten, currently receives $7.5 million each year from the state. The bill, sponsored by Santa Clara Republican Rep. Lowry Snow, would bring that total up to roughly $17.5 million.

Snow said an increasing number of Utah students enter kindergarten without basic preparation skills.

"They're not able to recognize letters," he said. "They're not able to recognize much vocabulary and they're, frankly, not ready to engage in kindergarten."

He said schools that currently offer optional full-day kindergarten classes have seen increased levels of grade-level reading as students advance through elementary school.

His bill would create a grant program, with schools required to demonstrate a need for enhanced kindergarten and a willingness to track and report on student progress.

"The bill preserves parent choice," he said. "If they don't want their child to participate, there's no requirement."

While the bill received 16 opposing votes, no lawmaker stood to speak against the proposal during debate.

Instead, the debate focused on the benefits of early academic intervention, such as Orem Republican Rep. Kevin Stratton's describing the $10 million appropriation as "seed money."

"A dollar spent at this time is exponentially magnified later," he said. "If a student struggles with reading, they struggle with everything."

The bill will now be transferred to the Senate for consideration.

Twitter: @bjainwood