City school district eyes full-time pre-K

PLATTSBURGH | In an effort to secure full state funding amidst low enrollment numbers, the Plattsburgh City School District (PCSD) is weighing a proposal to convert the district's two part-time universal pre-K programs to a new hybrid model. If approved by the school Board of Education (BOE), one of the district's two existing programs at Bailey Avenue and Momot Elementary would be converted from part-time to full-time. According to Superintendent Jay Lebrun, the move would bolster FTE (full-time equivalent) numbers, which the state uses when doling out funding. The adjustment would allow the school to more easily reach the required enrollment needed to receive the maximum amount of aid allocated by the state Education Department (NYSED). "To receive the maximum allocation from the state, our district, in conjunction with Community Based Organizations, must serve the base eligible number of students — 77 half-day students or 38.5 full-day students," Momot Elementary Principal Sue Wilson told The Sun in an email. The state has allocated a maximum of $226,069 for pre-K programming at PCSD in the upcoming school year, according to NYSED. The district's share of funding for pre-K programming is $94,648. To garner the full amount of funding, the school needs to serve 38.5 FTEs. Half-day students are counted as half an FTE, full-time students as one FTE. The two part-time programs at PCSD have a maximum capacity of 72 part-time students. As of last week, the district had a projected enrollment of 54 part-time students for the upcoming year, or 27 FTEs — just 35 percent of the enrollment needed. "As we approach September, we typically receive some additional inquires and enrollments," Wilson said. PROS AND CONS Apart from the financial impacts of implementing a hybrid model, Wilson believes that a full-time program could remove an obstacle for some local parents who may struggle with arranging transportation for their children mid-day. "Eighty-five percent of (district) families said they'd enroll their child in a full-time universal pre-K program," Wilson said, referencing a recent school-backed poll. "This hybrid system, it is hoped, might better accommodate families' scheduling preferences," Lebrun said. But by shuttering one of the part-time programs the new hybrid model would offer fewer slots for students. If enrollment numbers rise in the future, it could lead the district to revert back to its pre-K lottery system with some families left on a waiting list, according to Lebrun. "Based on the current pre-K enrollment, we believe that all students could be accommodated within the hybrid system — some in one of two half-day programs, and some in the full-day program," he said. "But, to the extent that this restructuring may be appealing to families and interest may grow, we might well need to re-introduce some competitive selection process." Lebrun told the BOE that in the past, the demand for pre-K at PCSD had exceeded the district's capacity. "Demand has waned for these programs over the years," he said. The Plattsburgh City School District BOE meets again on Aug. 23, where they are also expected to discuss a proposal to hire two armed school resource officers.

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City school district eyes full-time pre-K

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