The metropolis is increasing pre-Ok entry a step additional for the 2023-24 college yr, town introduced Tuesday, opening up funding for extra early schooling suppliers and taking one other step within the Universal Pre-Ok plan.
“We’re determined to make Boston the first choice for families, and that includes closing gaps in access and availability of early education options,” stated Mayor Michelle Wu.
The metropolis’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) mannequin goals to supply youngsters ages three and 4 free early schooling for six.5 hour college days 180 days a yr, in accordance with town. Tuesday’s announcement follows a $20 million funding in this system final July.
The metropolis is seeking to develop this system by inviting in new community-based childcare suppliers to take part within the UPK mannequin.
Providers — together with “nonprofit and for-profit organizations, early education providers, private schools, religious schools” — could apply by town’s portal to obtain metropolis funding to assist the packages.
The metropolis can be increasing this system to incorporate household childcare suppliers, who educate a small group of kids of their non-public residence.
The smaller packages could supply households advantages like “flexible hours, multilingual or mixed-age settings, and sometimes more affordable services,” town launch detailed, and the change got here based mostly on session with BPS, childcare suppliers, metropolis officers and others.
These suppliers could assist “ensure continuity of care and family choice,” stated TeeAra Dias, Director of Boston Universal Pre-Ok.
“This is the boost that FCC providers need to highlight that we are not babysitters but educators,” stated household childcare educator Claudette White.
The expansions general are set so as to add 350 new pre-Ok seats, for a complete of about 1,475 seats. The district additionally holds 3,621 K0 and K1 seats in BPS faculties.
Superintendent Mary Skipper stated high quality UPK is significant to Boston college students’ foundations.
“Providing our families with quality pre-kindergarten options for our 3- and 4-year-old children is critical to ensuring that learning gaps do not form and that students’ academic, social-emotional, and physical needs are met holistically,” stated Superintendent Mary Skipper.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”