Universal PreK Mandate Has Unintended Consequences

by Joan Rosen

(February 28, 2008) -- On Tuesday morning, February 12, local educational leaders and community child care professionals gathered at the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit meeting to address the impact of Universal PreK, a relatively new state mandate that public school districts with pre-Kindergarten (preK) programs open those programs to all four-year-olds who live in their districts, regardless of need.

Since the inception of the preK program in the Mamaroneck district almost 30 years ago, the program has focused on children “at risk,” a determination based mainly on socioeconomic status. The program also serves children with special needs, but that aspect of the program is not affected by the Universal PreK mandate. Next year, due to space and budget constraints, there will be 80 slots for up to 400 eligible four-year-olds, according to Dr. Paul Fried, superintendent of the Mamaroneck School District. These limited spaces must be assigned by lottery to anyone who applies, regardless of need. According to Dr. Fried (at left), the inability to target economically disadvantaged children means that statistically a much smaller percentage of these children will be included.

Peter Mustich, schools superintendent from Rye Neck (at right), shared that money and space also limit the options for Rye Neck, which tried several years ago to add more elementary classrooms in a failed bond referendum. The New York State subsidy of $2700 per child that districts receive does not cover the costs of a preK program in a public school setting. Dr. Mustich expressed worry about the long term impact on “kids and their learning potential” if they are denied access to a preschool experience.

Dr. Fried also expressed concern for the three-year-olds currently in programs and for future children who will lose out on a two-year preschool experience because the mandate also does not allow districts to fund programs for three-year-olds. Whether there are other ways to provide for these children and the four-year-olds who get closed out of the public preK was addressed by the other panelists whose agencies work with at risk families.

While Denise Gilman, the director of the Mamaroneck Child Development Center, was unsure of the impact the universal preK mandate, she was concerned that there be ways to serve the neediest children. The Child Development Center, a Head Start program, uses a point system to target the neediest children and helps families, once enrolled, to access additional resources. Ms. Gilman noted, however, that it is necessary to gain the trust of families before you can help them, and building that trust takes time. She echoed the concern of the superintendents for at risk children who don’t have access to a two-year program at this early age.

The Parent Child Home Program, operated by Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), has been serving preschool children and families in our area for the past seven years. Patrice Cuddy, director of the program, noted that her program is also based on the premise that early childhood programs supporting parents and children have long-term positive effects. She pointed out an unintended benefit from the lack of program for three-year-olds in the schools -- that those families in Ms. Cuddy’s program would be able to participate for two years, which is more likely to affect changes in behavior.

Ms. Cuddy challenged the assembled group to make the state mandate work. She posited that community groups working together, such as the libraries, drop in centers and other programs, could find ways to combat the restrictions of the state mandate. She offered the assistance of WJCS.

That there is an academic divide between those children who have had an early childhood program and those who have not has been noted by educators and was not in dispute. The research shows that students who fall behind their peers at an early age have a very difficult time catching up, no matter what programs are made available.

Dr. Fried expressed hope that the state will reconsider its position to allow districts to target at risk students and increase funding for these programs. He has already met with NY Assemblyman George Latimer and NY Senator Suzi Oppenheimer. If there are not changes in the mandates, the only other recourse for a school district is to find private funding which would allow the district to target at risk students. Dr. Mustich suggested an “advocacy day” to pursue flexibility in preK programs.

Kathy Halas, executive director of the Child Care Council of Westchester, sees the universal preK mandate as a work in progress. It importantly recognized the value of preschool education but the dollars aren’t there yet to support it. She noted that Westchester County does not get its fair share of state subsidies, mainly because it is seen as a wealthy suburb. She stressed the need to find all funding sources and utilize community resources to provide the services that everyone agreed were important. While Ms. Halas was cautiously optimistic about the possibilities and offered the services of her agency, she was concerned that children of the working poor could fall through the cracks.

The Local Summit is a grass roots volunteer organization dedicated to making the community a better place to live for everyone. It meets at 7:45 am on the third Tuesday of the month at the Nautilus Diner. Much of its work is done by specific task groups that meet independently and then report at the larger meeting.

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