Garnerville, NY – The North Rockland Central School District has been awarded $2.4 million in state funding from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to expand access to Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) programs for local families. The grant, one of the largest of the 64 awarded statewide, will enable the district to offer more full-day prekindergarten placements, enhancing early childhood education opportunities for the community.
Superintendent Kris Felicello expressed the district’s appreciation for the funding, noting its potential to meet the needs of local children before they enter kindergarten. “We know that many children in our school community need additional support before starting kindergarten, and we’re confident that this additional funding will help meet some of those needs,” Felicello said. “This investment by NYSED will move North Rockland forward in the critical work of improving outcomes for our children and families.”
The $2.4 million grant will allow the district to convert 200 half-day UPK seats into full-day seats, while also adding 150 new full-day placements. This expansion follows a previous award of $440,528 from NYSED, which helped convert 60 half-day seats to full-day seats and added ten additional full-day placements in the prior year.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, North Rockland will offer a total of 480 full-day placements and 23 half-day placements, providing families with more flexible options for early childhood education. The funding is part of a competitive grant process, where districts were evaluated based on their plans to serve high-need communities, maximize enrollment, and expand prekindergarten services.
Universal Prekindergarten in New York State is a state- and federally funded program available to all families free of charge. Eligibility for the program is based on a child’s age and residency, with spots allocated through a lottery system.
This funding is expected to help further the district’s mission of providing high-quality early education and supporting the development of young learners. To learn more about UPK in North Rockland, visit the district’s website at northrockland.org or contact the district office at (845) 942-3493.