GORHAM – The Gorham School Committee is weighing an all-day kindergarten program, despite a study panel’s recommendation Wednesday in a workshop not to implement it because of the financial impact.

The school district presently has a half-day kindergarten program.

The study panel estimated expanding kindergarten to an all-day program would cost $555,159 to implement and $502,000 in subsequent years.

Implementation would add 5.5 classroom teachers, 2.5 educational technicians and a part-time art teacher, according to the study panel.

Superintendent Ted Sharp’s proposed school spending plan without all-day kindergarten is $32.6 million, up $368,630 from this year’s $32.2 million.

“We can’t make a decision tonight,” Roger Marchand, a school committee member, said during a recess in Wednesday’s budget workshop.

School Committee member Dennis Libby, who chaired the study panel, asked for actual cost figures for all-day kindergarten be available prior to the school budget public hearing, set for Wednesday, April 3, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Libby said all-day kindergarten is a passionate issue in town. “I’d like to recommend we add all-day kindergarten this year,” Libby said. “We’d let voters decide.”

The school budget requires approval by the town council and the town’s voters in a referendum.