Over half of local 4-year-olds enrolled in state-funded pre-k
The number of children in prekindergarten is growing in the Capital Region, years after the state began pouring money into the area school districts to encourage more early education.
This school year and for the first time, more than 50 percent of the local 4-yearolds were enrolled in a statefunded pre-k program. There were 4,393 students enrolled, according to state data about BEDS Day, in which all enrolled children are counted on the first Wednesday in October.
That’s almost 500 more students than last year. Several more providers are adding preschool for the next year, including in Bethlehem, where no one had answered the school district’s request for proposals to run a program for three years straight.
Many more seats are needed: There are about 7,500 to 7,900 pre-k eligible children in the region each year. To give them all free prekindergarten, the region would need to add about 3,000 more seats. Demand, however, is expected to be somewhat less, because some parents need and can afford full-day preschool instead of the six-hour prekindergarten program underwritten by the state.
But many children receive no preschool education. Their first day of kindergarten is their first day of
school — ever. Teachers reported that those students struggled to match their peers in academic skills and behavior. The state Education Department began to prioritize getting every student into a pre-kindergarten class because of this.
For years, the state’s money went largely unused in the Albany area. School districts reported they did not have enough space in school buildings to expand beyond the number of pre-k classes they already offered. Instead, they turned to private providers to fill the gap, but those groups said they weren’t being offered enough money to expand, and that their private classrooms were already full.
In response, school districts took control of the matter.
East Greenbush schools added to the state’s funds for this school year to get prekindergarten started. Next year, the district will likely have enough spots for everyone who wants to enroll.
The Niskayuna school district added $23,000 to the state funding to get a provider. Now the Schenectady JCC runs one prekindergarten classroom for 14 students there.
“Establishing a universal prekindergarten program was identified as a budget priority while planning for the current school year. The district recognizes the importance of early childhood education and continues to explore ways to expand seats in a Niskayuna UPK program for future generations of learners,” spokeswoman Emily Burkhard said.
In Bethlehem and East Greenbush, providers are opening for the next school year. TSL Kids Crew is expanding into prekindergarten. The company provides beforeand-after-school care and summer camps in those districts. Wrap-around programs offer student care before and after school.
In both locations, the company has been struggling to make the wraparound business profitable because it currently does not have enough students. With the addition of prekindergarten, it’s hoping to attract more customers.
“It’s just another way for us to branch out,” said co-owner Tom Styles. “For 15 years we’ve done early childhood wrap-around care.”
They will be paid $5,400 per student for prekindergarten programs. But the system is flawed, he said.
“UPK programs are only 5-6 hour days and fulltime working parents need full day care,” he said. “The other problem with UPK is the funds are not enough. It wouldn’t be worth it for us if we couldn’t have them in wrap-around services we offer.”