The district is expected to receive $1.22 million through 2011 as a result of the Legislature's passage of a bill to add more all-day kindergarten programs statewide. The money will fund 36 sections of the program at 16 schools that receive federal Title 1 funding for disadvantaged students and seven non-Title I schools, said Rob Averett, district school services director.

Under the new law, schools that offer all-day kindergarten also must offer half-day programs. Students will be registered based on a kindergarten readiness assessment they will take.

The funds also will pay for an all-day kindergarten specialist for the first year, who will help train teachers in the extended program.

Averett said space constraints exist at some school, which have been asked to the best they can to prevent more expenses.

"It's such a great start," Granite School Board member Carol Cannon said. "Eventually we can have this through out the district."

A mid-year summary of a pilot all-day kindergarten program established last fall at six Granite schools showed students improved in math and language arts.

According to the report, there were nearly one-third more established readers and nearly two-thirds fewer at-risk readers.