Mayors Plan to Eliminate Kindergarten in Day Care Centers Shifting 3,300 Kindergarten from Day Care to Public Schools Causes Cha

District Council 1707 AFSCME

New York NY 10013

212-219-0022

For Immediate Release:

City Hall Press Conference Wednesday April 22, 2009 at 12 Noon

Mayors Plan to Eliminate Kindergarten in Day Care Centers to Cost City Millions

Shifting 3,300 Kindergarten from Day Care to Public Schools Causing Chaos

The New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS) provides center based child care to 22,000 children ages 2 through 5, in over 300 child care centers that are fully funded by ACS.  These operations providing a comprehensive educational program with certified teachers are the only center-based child care programs available to families in low-income communities. At a time when vulnerable New Yorkers are struggling to remain gainfully employed, or secure employment to support their families, New York City is reducing the capacity of the subsidized child care system - a system that provides critical child care services for thousands of working families in New York City.

City Eliminating Kindergarten in Day Care Centers Costing City 7 Million:

The City is eliminating about 3,300 slots in day care centers that currently provide educational services to

5-year olds. With the average cost to the city for each kindergartner in public school $4,000 plus $2,800 for after-school care, it will be more costly to educate these children in public school by 7 million at a time when the city has a budget deficit. In addition millions more will be needed for bussing and building modifications.

Parents will longer have the option to place their 5 year old children in day care centers for a full day of kindergarten services. This displacement of young children from day care centers will result in thousands of additional 5 year olds forced to attend the overcrowded public schools and many being bussed to programs out of their neighborhood while space is available in day care centers. These 3,300 slots are being eliminated from the system and cannot be used for the thousands of children, ages 2 through 5, on day care centers wait lists. The reduction of slots through consolidation will result in thousands of children ages 2 through 5 no longer having an opportunity for an excellent community based pre-school education. 

City Cutting Back UPK Funding Forcing Additional Day Care Closures:

The Administration for Children's Services has notified day care centers that have Universal Pre-Kindergarten contracts with the Department of Education that it is cutting its share of the center budgets as of February 1st.  Cutting funding of UPK programs is contrary to UPK expansion initiatives by the New York City Council and New York State Legislature.  This drastic reduction of early childhood education funds will not only reduce services to 4-year olds but force many centers to close.  We urge the City Council to call on ACS to continue providing city funds to these UPK programs so UPK standards can be maintained.

“During a time of economic crisis, we should be doing all that we can to keep people working, especially lower-wage workers who are usually more affected by downturns in the economy.  Instead, New York City is eliminating educational services for thousands of young children placing additional stress on parents in neighborhoods of need.  These cuts will not only force many centers to close but will also destabilize neighborhoods. Since workers at centers live near these programs, job loss will have a devastating effect on the local economy in these communities,” said Raglan George, Executive Director of District Council 1707 AFSCME.

“At a time when more New York families need all the support they can get, the Mayor is creating greater stress on parents by cutting pre-kindergarten services instead of expanding them. Not only is the plan to move five-year-olds out of day care centers and into public schools a bad idea, but it also has been a poorly administered effort,” said New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr.

Contact: Neal Tepel: 646-591-6484