MADISON (WMSN) -- Starting in the fall of 2011, Madison schools will welcome children into a 4-year-old kindergarten program.



School board members approved the program after a 90-minute discussion Monday night.



This is the first real commitment from MMSD to establish comprehensive early childhood education.



What they don't have yet is a plan to pay for it.



It would've cost about $12.2 million to start 4k this fall, according to Eric Kass, assistant superintendent for business services.



About $4.5 million would come from existing educational service funds, $4.2 million from a loan, and about $3.5 million would be generated thru a property tax increase.



Some board members said they were uncomfortable approving a funding plan for 4k, because there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the district's budget as a whole.



The board is already trying to find ways to cut costs, at a time when Wisconsin slashed state aid to the district by 15 percent.



Board members want to wait at least until February, to get a clearer picture of district's finances, before they commit money to the program.



"I think this board is very much in support of 4k," said Maya Cole, school board clerk. "But what I would like to see it for us to put pressure or get guarantees on whether we're going to get federal funding, qualify, or whether we're gonna get cut off at the knees again."



President Obama put $4.35 billion up for grabs. States are competing for those education dollars, and the MMSD board hoped to use some of the money towards 4k.



One of the funding plans the board discussed Monday would raise property taxes about $135 dollars over 3 years, on a $250,000 home.



Board members say a 4k program will save the district money in the long run. The idea is, with all students learning basic skills at an earlier age, there would be less need for personal interventions down the road.



The program would provide free kindergarten to more than 1,500 children in Madison.

MMSD approves 4k program