Madison wrestles with the thought of 4K

Wisconsin State Journal- Madison looking at 4K program

So...isn't this a great time to look at some feedback on what our school district has accomplished?
A Sun Prairie "SP4K" parent writes this to the Wisconsin State Journal:

mikefromsunprairie said on: January 9, 2010, 1:26 pm
My child is currently in a 4k program and I must say we are very disappointed in the program. The curriculum is based on play, and after asking my child everyday how was your day and did you learn anything it really doesn't sound like it is very helpful in preparing kids for [sic] kindergarden at all.There is very little contact between the daycare center and the school district and there is a total lack of communication. I would be very upset to be a tax payer paying for this program and after going through this [sic] expireance this year would not [sic] recomend the program at all to other parents.

Why is Madison looking at 4K now, despite projections that it will increases costs and property taxes? Gee....it seems that in order to chase the $4.35B in "Race To The Top" money, a district has to meet certain criteria, like, as in having a 4K program!

" Madison schools might need to commit to launching a four-year-old kindergarten program as part of the state’s application for $254 million in federal “Race to the Top” stimulus money, state officials said Wednesday.
Madison and four other large urban Wisconsin districts would need to agree to fulfill two of four “early childhood initiatives,” along with other requirements, to qualify for some of the money the state has promised should Wisconsin actually win any “Race to the Top” dollars. "