Boston is placing $20 million towards town’s pre-Okay packages, including a number of hundred extra seats for native tots.
“The greatest investment we can make in our future is to support and center our young people,” Mayor Michelle Wu mentioned in a press release Wednesday, referring to Boston’s “Universal Pre-K” program. “With this historic investment in early childhood education, we can kickstart an increase in high-quality Pre-K seats, bring family child care providers into the UPK network, and ensure all of our families have access to free and accessible early childcare and education.”
The metropolis mentioned the brand new $20 million means it’s going to have as much as 992 whole seats for 3- and 4-year-olds, as in comparison with the 664 it had this 12 months. Those will break down as as much as 627 seats for 4-year-olds and 365 for 3-year-olds.
Wu additionally mentioned the money will do towards rising developmental and behavioral well being screenings, making a “culturally relevant and challenging curriculum” and coaching lecturers.
The metropolis additionally mentioned it’s launching a brand new “per-classroom funding formula” — versus a “per-student” one — in an effort to maintain non-Boston Public Schools child-care suppliers who’re a part of the UPK program higher funded and with employees that’s higher-paid.
It may also permit a lot of them to increase their service hours past the required 6.5 to raised meet the wants of working households,” Kristin McSwain, Director of town’s Office of Early Childhood, mentioned in a press release.
The UPK initiative contains each BPS and out of doors sources.
Boston UPK is presently now accepting purposes for Pre-Okay seats at community-based suppliers for the 2022-2023 faculty 12 months on a rolling foundation, Wu’s workplace mentioned. It’s open for Boston residents who’re turning 3 or 4 by Sept. 1. More data and the applying could be discovered at www.bostonpublicschools.org/upk.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”