Restriction on Funds
Dispute May Stymie Full-Day Pre-K

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

A conflict between the state and the city over who will pay for full-day pre-kindergarten classes may lead to minimal increases in the much-needed program, despite widespread support for it and millions of dollars in new education money.

HIS MONEY'S NO GOOD: Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is frustrated by the fact that $60 million in state money to expand pre-kindergarten is earmarked specifically for half-day programs. Due to parents' work schedules, he testified earlier this year, 'There is so little demand for half-day programs that we will struggle to actually use the money the state is allocating.'

The state budget includes an additional $60 million to increase access to pre-kindergarten programs in the city. But that funding can only be spent on half-day slots, even though Governor Spitzer has argued for the need for full-day programs.

Inconvenient for Parents

Many parents cannot utilize the half-day programs, which run for 2-1/2 hours, because of their work schedules. The unmet need, say advocates and Department of Education officials, is for full-day slots. Mayor Bloomberg has spoken in the past about the importance of universal access to pre-kindergarten classes, but his executive budget includes no money to convert the approximately 18,000 new state-funded half-day slots to full-day.

BETTY HOLCOMB: Puts onus on city.

"The reality of life in New York City is that parents must work," said Lawrence Provette, the educational director of the Stagg Street Center for Children, which houses two half-day pre-k programs. "That issue is just not being addressed the way the funding sources are coming down right now."

There are currently almost 48,000 children enrolled in publicly-funded pre-kindergarten classes in the city, and about a quarter of those are full-day programs. "There is so little demand for half-day programs," Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein told state legislators in late February, "that we will struggle to actually use the money the state is allocating to pre-k. Already, we are unable to fill the half-day seats that are funded by the state."

DOE has nonetheless issued a request for proposals and a solicitation for community groups to increase only the number of half-day pre-k slots. "We want to make sure as many four-year-olds as possible are in high-quality pre-k programs," said DOE spokeswoman Lindsay Harr. "The $60 million will help us significantly expand." She added, "We recognize the need for full-day programs."

'Need Full-Day Most'

Advocates and union officials say most of the current waiting lists for pre-kindergarten classes are for full-day slots. "The greatest need is for full-day," said Amina Rachman, special assistant to United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. "It's what's missing for the children who are in the greatest need."

A spokesman for the Governor's Office said that Mr. Spitzer had wanted to give the city more flexibility in how spends the pre-k money. "We were unable to persuade the legislature to see our point of view," said Brad Maione. He added that the Legislature could still pass a measure to give the city the option to use the money for full-day slots. "We are still hopeful that the legislature could pass something this session," said Mr. Maione, "but if not in this session, it could happen next year.

Neither Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver nor Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno could be reached for comment.

Hinges On Principals

If the state does not change the pre-k spending guidelines, the city will need to find other funding streams to convert the half-day slots to full-day. One option is city tax money, but the Mayor has not allocated any funds for that purpose in the coming year.

The City Council is requesting $7 million to add 2,100 more full-day slots around the city. DOE chief spokesman David Cantor said the Council's proposal was "under discussion." Last year the Mayor added the Council's request for 2,200 additional full-day pre-k slots to his final budget.

The city is allowed to use another source of state money for full-day pre-k classes, known as "Contract For Excellence" funds, which will total several hundred million dollars in the coming year.

Unless changes are made to the budget, the only way CFE money will be used for full-day pre-k is if individual Principals decide to spend some of the CFE money included in their schools' budgets for full-day pre-kindergarten classes.

Want Funds Set Aside

A coalition of child-care providers is requesting that the city put aside $20 million in CFE money to ensure an additional 5,000 full-day slots for children citywide, instead of relying on individual Principals to make the decision.

"We're poised right now to expand full-day options," said Betty Holcomb, policy director of Child Care, Inc., "but it's going to be tough for the city to meet its expansion goals if they don't take advantage of the CFE money or allocate city tax money."

CFE money must be used to meet five educational criteria, one of which is expanding universal access to pre-kindergarten.

State pre-k regulations require two instructors for every class of up to 18 children, one of whom must be a certified Teacher. Up to 1,000 new Teachers could be hired if the city utilized all of the new state universal pre-k money.

Big Salary Range

Salaries vary widely for Teachers of pre-k classes, depending on where they are located. Community-based organizations start as low as $28,000, city-funded day-care centers are generally in the mid-30s, and public school Teachers start at about $45,000 and can rise dramatically from there, based on seniority. The City Council has asked for an additional $3 million in next year's budget to raise salaries for pre-k Teachers in community-based organizations and day-care centers.

The Mayor's Office has set up a task force, the Early Care and Education Policy Steering Committee, comprised of senior level officials from DOE, the Administration for Children's Services, the Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Mayor's Office, charged with creating a coordinated early child-care and education strategy.

Decisions about whether to add city money or reallocate state CFE funds to expand full-day pre-k have to be made by July 1, when the city's budget must be approved.