$10.4 Million In State Funding Announced To Support 3-Year-Old Pre-K In 25 High-Need School Districts
Funding Will Allow More Than 1,500 Children to Enroll in High-Quality Pre-K
New York State has announced $10.4 million has been awarded to 25 high-need school districts to increase access to quality pre-kindergarten for more than 1,500 three-year-old students across New York. As included in the governor’’s 2016 Built to Lead Agenda, this funding aims to support the expansion of pre-k as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to promote early education, specifically in high-need districts, and improve the academic future for all students.
"Every child deserves a fair shot at a high-quality education," the Governor said. "This funding will help level the academic playing field for children in these underprivileged communities, giving them opportunity to succeed, thrive and ultimately lead in New York."
Funding was awarded to school districts based on the quality of the application and other factors, including district and student need, efforts to target the highest need students, and efforts to maximize total number of children served in pre-kindergarten programs.
"Research shows that as much as half of the achievement gap is already established before students enter first grade," said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa. "Investing in high-quality prekindergarten programs can narrow the achievement gap between low-income and affluent youth and have a positive long-term impact on children’s lives. Giving our children a quality head start is simply the right thing to do."
"We know that prekindergarten makes a huge difference in preparing children for school," said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. "High-quality prekindergarten programs, especially those that provide full-day services and serve low-income or high need students, help those students stay on track to graduate from high school and, over the long term, significantly reduce costs for remedial education, social services, health and criminal justice programs.
Funding awarded by district:
| District | Award | Addison Central School District | $310,040 |
|---|---|
| Auburn City School District | $820,384 |
| Bath Central School District | $306,161 |
| Beekmantown Central School District | $213,408 |
| Canajoharie Central School District | $150,475 |
| Chateaugay Central School District | $176,000 |
| Cohoes City School District | $263,147 |
| Copenhagen Central School District | $144,000 |
| Dansville Central School District | $198,487 |
| Dunkirk City School District | $692,168 |
| Fillmore Central School District | $211,782 |
| GeneseeValley Central School District | $203,065 |
| Jordan-Elbridge Central School District | $510,912 |
| Lackawanna City School District | $583,859 |
| Lansingburgh Central School District | $126,369 |
| Middleburgh Central School District | $125,303 |
| Monticello Central School District | $248,982 |
| Odessa-Montour Central School District | $266,217 |
| Penn Yan Central School District | $216,000 |
| Rome City School District | $1,147,527 |
| Sodus Central School District | $179,665 |
| Syracuse City School District | $1,245,461 |
| Watertown Central School District | $1,075,968 |
| Whitney Point Central School District | $453,438 |
| Yonkers City School District | $492,592 |
| Total | $10,361,410 |
Since 2011, New York State has more than doubled its commitment to early childhood education to improve the academic future of young people across New York. Early learning can bridge achievement gaps and provide benefits in the earliest stages of youth and throughout adulthood. Studies from the National Institute for Early Education Research show that children who participate in high quality early childhood education programs have higher cognitive test scores from the toddler years to age 21, higher academic achievement in both reading and math, and are more likely to attend a four-year college and be gainfully employed.