$30 Million in State Funding to Support Pre-K in 34 High-Need Districts

 

$30 million has been awarded to 34 high-need school districts to increase access to high-quality pre-kindergarten for a total of 3,295 students in communities across the state. The funding, which was originally committed by Governor Cuomo in his 2015 Opportunity Agenda, supports the expansion of pre-k for both 3- and 4-year old students for the first time in more than a decade. This combined approach is part of the State’s ongoing efforts to promote early education, specifically in high-needs districts where such programs can be most beneficial in increasing academic outcomes for students.

“Access to a quality education from a young age can unlock a student’s potential and put them on a path to success years into the future,” said Governor Cuomo. “That’s what this funding is all about – it’s an investment in the future of thousands of children across the state, and I am proud that we are able to help those students begin learning early on.”

Early learning can bridge achievement gaps and provide benefits not only in life’s earliest stages but also in the long term. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, children who participated 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 were more likely to attend a four-year college and ultimately be gainfully employed. Research in neuroscience indicates that 85 percent of brain development occurs by age three and 90 percent occurs between birth and age five, according to the Harvard University Center for the Developing Child.

Awards were made to districts based on the quality of the application and 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. 

Of this $30 million, $19.4 million was awarded to create 2,018 slots for 3-year olds and $10.6 million was awarded to create 1,277 slots for 4-year olds. Seven school districts are using grant funds to operate 3-year old slots, 17 school districts are operating 4-year old slots, and 10 school districts are operating both.

The full list of awards by district is available below: 

School District	Annualized Award	Age of Students
Albany CSD	$2,340,899	3 & 4
Amsterdam SD	$590,299	3 & 4
Binghamton CSD	$467,332	3 & 4
Brentwood UFSD	$3,587,960	4
Central Islip UFSD	$242,083	4
Cheektowaga Central SD	$232,200	3 & 4
Cobleskill-Richmondville Central SD	$250,848	3 & 4
Cohoes CSD	$273,682	4
Copiague Public Schools	$800,705	4
Dalton-Nunda (Keshequa) Central SD	$202,576	4
Dundee Central SD	$352,226	3 & 4
Edwards-Knox Central SD	$207,198	4
Fonda-Fultonville Central SD	$271,872	4
Geneva CSD	$167,519	3
Groton Central SD	$224,000	3 & 4
Jamestown CSD	$985,814	3 & 4
Letchworth Central SD	$160,471	4
Lyons Central SD	$275,971	3
Mount Morris Central SD	$204,406	4
Newfield Central SD	$174,260	4
Niagara Falls CSD	$425,984	3
North Rose Wolcott CSD	$75,572	3
Northern Adirondack Central SD	$323,662	4
Norwood-Norfolk Central SD	$183,680	4
Ripley Central SD	$108,335	3
Rochester CSD	$11,940,627	3 & 4
Schenectady CSD	$608,541	4
Solvay UFSD	$263,754	4
South Seneca Central SD	$115,458	4
Spencer-Van Etten Central SD	$160,600	3
Syracuse CSD	$3,251,426	3 & 4
Troy CSD	$299,144	3
Waterville Central SD	$72,574	4
Waverly Central SD	$158,322	4
Total Awards	$30,000,000

  

Early learning can bridge the achievement gap and provide benefits not only in life’s earliest stages but also in the long term. Studies show that children who participate in high quality early childhood education programs have higher cognitive test scores through age 21, higher academic achievement in both reading and math and were more likely to attend a four-year college and be gainfully employed.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew Cuomo