Letter to the editor: Edgemont’s children deserve to have universal pre-K
Letter to the Editor:
In recent years, Universal pre-Kindergarten (UPK) programs have become a standard offering in many Westchester County communities, ensuring that children from diverse families have access to a crucial head start. Despite this trend, Edgemont remains one of the few neighborhoods in Westchester County without access to a UPK program. The absence of UPK in Edgemont is particularly notable when viewed alongside neighboring districts such as Hartsdale, Tuckahoe, Elmsford, Valhalla, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, and Yorktown, all of which offer UPK to their residents. These districts, much like Edgemont, receive expense-based aid from the state to fund these essential programs. In fact, Edgemont is allocated the same amount of state funding as these communities.
The benefits of UPK are well documented. Early childhood education provides children with a strong foundation for lifelong learning, equipping them with the social, emotional, and academic skills needed to succeed in school and beyond. Studies have shown that children who attend high-quality preschool programs are more likely to perform better in school, graduate on time, and even earn higher wages in adulthood. It is clear that investing in early education yields significant long-term benefits not only for individual students but for the community as a whole.
In the 2023-2024 school year, Edgemont was allocated $464,400. So why has Edgemont fallen behind in offering UPK? I have raised this question with the administration and school board. One adminstrator said the figure is far too little to cover the costs of increased staffing and administrative oversight of a UPK’s curriculum, instruction, and assessment. For a district to fold a UPK program into its schools, the administrator said, additional funds would need to be allocated to the general fund budget to supplement state funding. However, this does not seem to be the case when examining neighboring Westchester school districts with similar state funding allocations. These districts offer UPK without any additional financial burden on their budgets, often partnering with the YMCA of Central Westchester or local organizations like Healthy Kids to deliver these services on school premises or at local facilities.
The Edgemont administration has also cited a lack of space as a barrier to implementing UPK, yet many neighboring districts have successfully utilized facilities provided by these local organizations to accommodate their programs. A majority of Edgemont preschoolers are enrolled at Greenville Church Nursery School, which has consistently expressed a willingness to collaborate with the school district and the community. Despite this existing relationship and the school's convenient location, the district has yet to explore offering UPK through GCNS.
The write stuff Universal pre-K provides children with advantages even in adulthood.
Edgemont also has a trusted partner in the YMCA of Central Westchester, which runs after-school programs for our students. This established relationship could serve as a foundation for expanding into UPK services, similar to how Elmsford, Valhalla, and Yorktown have structured their programs. These districts collaborated with the YMCA to provide a nurturing and enriching environment for young learners, funded entirely through state aid. It stands to reason that Edgemont could do the same. However, the director of early learning child care services at the YMCA confirmed that Edgemont has not approached them to inquire about the possibility of starting a UPK program, despite the existing partnership for after-school care. Clearly, there are models in place that could be adapted to meet Edgemont’s needs without additional financial strain or space constraints.
The most recent discussion of a Universal Pre-K (UPK) program at a Board of Education meeting took place in February of 2022. During the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Bryan Paul presented several implementation options and recommended issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to evaluate the program's feasibility. Despite his suggestion, board members, believing there was limited demand or need for UPK in the community, unanimously opted not to move forward with the idea.
In conclusion, the explanation for this offering gap is the perception that there is no need. Historically, Edgemont has been seen as an affluent area with families who can afford private preschool options. However, this assumption overlooks the diverse socioeconomic landscape of our community. Many families face the challenge of finding affordable, high-quality early education and care for their children. A state-funded UPK program would alleviate this burden and ensure that all children, regardless of family income, have access to the early learning opportunities they deserve. Many in the community believe that implementing a UPK program would benefit not only families but also the district as a whole, providing all children with equitable early learning opportunities.
As Edgemont considers its next steps, neighboring districts offer a viable blueprint for how to successfully implement UPK through strategic partnerships and existing state aid. The hope is that Edgemont will soon join the ranks of districts that recognize the importance of early childhood education and take the necessary steps to provide it for all.
—Maria Tena