It's no longer a place for cookies and nap time. Kindergarten is a place for academics and learning.

Teachers focus on math, science, reading and even writing with the 5- and 6-year-olds.

"Kindergartners have more to learn these days between state, district and even school expectations," said Shannon Smith, a kindergarten teacher at Westridge Elementary in Provo. "It's a lot more academic than it used to be, and many of the students leave kindergarten reading."

Smith is just one of the many teachers in Utah County trying to cram everything the little learners need to know into a half-day class, and she said a little extra time would be helpful.

"We do face a problem of not having enough time to get everything in," Smith said. "Once you factor in specialty classes like P.E. and music, that doesn't leave a lot of time for the exploration children need in kindergarten."

A bill in the Utah Legislature sponsored by Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, could make a longer day an option for students who may need the little extra push to be prepared to meet the challenges of first grade. It would provide $7.5 million for the program.

Legislative leaders announced on Friday schools would get an additional $450 million, with some of that money going to expand all-day kindergarten programs.

Several Title 1 schools in Utah County are already operating an optional all-day kindergarten to help at-risk students get the skills they need to succeed.

"I have a focus on literacy with all of the subjects, but the most important is teaching students to read and write," said Kaydean Benson, an all-day kindergarten teacher at Suncrest Elementary in Orem. "If you can't read, you can't do math, science or social studies."

The school does pre-kindergarten testing each year to determine those who will likely reap the greatest benefit from the program, and Benson said 34 students have been a part of the program this year.

"I have students who come in with no concept of the alphabet or print, that are reading two or three levels up by the time they leave," said Benson. "We want to get them to level or higher by the end of the year, and that way if they lose something during the summer they won't be so far behind."

Erin Thomas, the vice principal at Suncrest and a former teacher, said she could see a difference between those coming into first grade who had taken advantage of the program.

"As a former first-grade teacher, those coming from an all-day program were just as good when they started out," said Thomas. "Most of them you never would have known they were behind. They make leaps and bounds in the program."

Due to funding, the school has threatened to do away with the program, but even the teachers have fought to keep it, Thomas said.

In a 2006 survey by Voices for Utah Children, 96 percent of teachers and principals from across the state already using the all-day kindergarten program said it was "very beneficial."

Some concerns with the program include the children's short attention spans and parents taking advantage of the program as a free day care.

"I can see having a little extra time for an extended-day program as being helpful," said Smith. "But having five-year-olds all day would be too much for their little minds and bodies to handle."

Darlynn Menlove, a kindergarten teacher at Canyon Elementary, said it would be more important to keep activities short, have time to relax and to be organized with an extended or all-day kindergarten class. She believes it has both pros and cons.

"Whether it's a half or full-day, the teacher makes all the difference," said Menlove.

Brooke Barker can be reached at 344-2559 or bbarker@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.