ATTLEBORO - Citing benefits to later learning and the opportunity to counteract declining enrollment, Schools Superintendent Pia Durkin is listing a full-time kindergarten as a priority for the city school system beginning next year.

The proposal, along with initiatives to add adjustment counselors, reading programs and support for students in math and science come at a time when the city's schools are under increasing pressure to boost academic achievement.

Five local schools failed at least in part to make prescribed annual yearly progress last year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Currently, city schools have 418 pupils enrolled in half-day kindergarten classes. But the lack of full-day kindergarten has been a persistent concern among parents and educators. In a recent survey, 88 percent of 218 kindergarten parents said they support full-time kindergarten classes.

Durkin, who presented the school committee with her list of budget priorities Monday as the first step in the annual budget-building process, framed extended kindergarten as a key element in addressing a multitude of local students' needs. Increasing kindergarteners' time in class would enhance learning readiness by the time they enter first grade, Durkin said. And by being better prepared, students would also be less likely to develop learning deficits later on.

"Research documents reading and math gains for all children when compared to half-day programs," Durkin said. Pupils who attend full-day kindergarten programs are also less likely to be kept back or require remedial education after ages 7-8.

Offering full-time kindergarten might also lessen the desire by some parents to seek an alternative to public schools, the superintendent said. City school enrollment has suffered a persistent decline recently, with a reduction of about 80 students in the last year alone. A continuation of the trend could be disasterous as it would affect the school system's state education aid.

Durkin told school committee members Monday that full-time kindergarten would not be implemented next year for all pupils, but phased in over the next three years. The first phase, which would affect five of the city's 13 kindergarten classrooms, would require hiring the equivalent of 2.5 full-time teachers.

If approved, a lottery system would be used the first year to select pupils for the full-time program.

The superintendent also outlined several other priorities at Monday's school committee meeting:

Adding more middle school adjustment counselors to provide better support service and communication.

Better co-ordination of support services at the high school, including literacy programs for students with significant learning gaps and MCAS support in science.

A provision for full-time reading support at each elementary school and increased reading support in each middle school.

Increases in clerical support and the number of instructional learning assistants. The proposed additions raise funding questions in a school system that usually receives the minimum amount required by the state to fund its annual budget. The school committee's finance subcommittee begins formal budget preparation discussions tonight. The school administration is scheduled to present its formal budget March 26.

The superintendent said the school department's budget deliberations would emphasize "realignment" of existing and resources and reducing un-needed expenses before asking for additional funding.

Durkin said the school department will try to leverage grant funds and reimbursements to help start the full-time kindergarten progam and has already filed a notice of intent to apply for a state planning grant. Expanding to a full-time kindergarten would expand the city's eligibility for other grants as well as state reimbursements, the superintendent said.