Survey: Strides made in LI pre-K programs

Long Island public schools have made significant strides in serving more students in prekindergarten programs, but waiting lists remain in some districts and the overall quality of the programs can improve, a survey released Tuesday found.

The findings by The Early Years Institute are a stark contrast to a report on the 2007-08 school year that found local schools had returned millions in state funding to avoid taking on the burden of running pre-K programs. Thousands of children were affected.

"We are doing much better than we did two years ago," said Dana Friedman, president of the Plainview-based institute.

The nonprofit, which hosted a conference for educators in Westbury Tuesday, works with schools and communities in the region to help ensure adequate access to early education resources.

In 2009-10, half of Long Island districts offered pre-K and 78 percent of eligible children were enrolled in the programs -- up nearly 2,000 students to 8,455, according to the latest survey.

In districts that do offer pre-K classes, there's been an increase in outreach and more families are looking for the free educational resource. Funding, however, remains a challenge, Friedman said, with resources lacking to expand offerings or create full-day programs rather than the half-day most districts now offer.

Enrollment has also been limited, the survey found, with more than 100 children turned away in at least five districts.

After 2009, the state stopped funding new pre-K services, but last year more than $384 million was given to districts for existing classes. The state program, called universal pre-K, provides tuition-free classes five days a week for 4-year-olds.

Districts receive $2,700 per child and $5,700 for students in less affluent areas. A handful of districts had been providing additional funds but now can't, Friedman said.

Experts agree that pre-K programs foster cognitive and social development in children and ultimately bolster graduation rates.

The Half Hollow Hills school district has had universal pre-K since 1999 and educators there have seen a "definite impact," with children better prepared for kindergarten, said Sheri Keller, the district's preschool services coordinator.

Other organizations on Long Island have been working to ready students, too. This summer, the Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City hosted a kindergarten-readiness program for children and their parents to offer Latino families orientation.

The program aims to address the needs of immigrant families with limited English proficiency, said museum president Suzanne LeBlanc.

Pre-K survey findings:

60 DISTRICTS

offered pre-K programs (50 percent), up from 53 (45 percent) in 2007-08

78 PERCENT

of eligible children were served, up from 61 percent

6 DISTRICTS

offered full-day programs

8,455 CHILDREN

were enrolled, up from 6,558