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Q&A
Current capacity and funding of Three-K and Pre-K programs
2:09:17
ยท
3 min
Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about the current capacity and funding of Three-K and Pre-K programs. DOE officials provide information on enrollment numbers, budget allocations, and future funding concerns.
- Current Three-K capacity is about 48,000 seats
- Pre-K system capacity is 71,349 with 56,846 currently enrolled
- FY 2025 budget for early childhood education is over $2 billion
- Concerns raised about potential funding decreases in future fiscal years
- DOE emphasizes the need for baseline funding to sustain programs
Rita Joseph
2:09:17
Thank you.
2:09:19
Three k, what is the current capacity of the three k system?
Daniel Weisberg
2:09:25
Current capacity is about about 48,000.
2:09:29
40 eight thousand.
Rita Joseph
2:09:30
How much would that number decrease if a hundred and 12,000,000 to 92,000,000 of the form of stimulus funding and 20,000,000 to ensure that all families that apply receive an offer that was not?
2:09:43
I don't know.
2:09:45
You're gonna go back and
Daniel Weisberg
2:09:50
we'd have to do that analysis chair to figure out what the average dollar amount per seat is and then we'll we'll do that math and and get back to you.
Rita Joseph
2:09:58
So in fiscal twenty twenty four, the New York City public schools spent about 1,780,000,000.00 on three ks and pre k programs.
2:10:04
What level is DOE on track to spend on fiscal twenty twenty five?
Jeff Klein
2:10:12
Yeah, again I think our team will have to get back to you on those answers.
2:10:17
Well,
Seritta Scott
2:10:17
I can jump in the budget for 2025 is over 2,000,000,000.
Rita Joseph
2:10:22
Over 2,000,000,000.
2:10:26
So, what is New York City Public Schools capacity to provide the same level of ECE service now compared to last year?
Jeff Klein
2:10:37
So you want moment in time data to compare right now to last year?
2:10:42
I have data as of you know the February 24, but I would have to pull like the exact moment in time for last year to give you a comparison.
Rita Joseph
2:10:52
And how soon can I get that?
Jeff Klein
2:10:54
Very soon, I think we can do that today, yeah.
Rita Joseph
2:10:58
That would be great because my next question was how has that affected providers?
2:11:04
So it's going to impact providers, right?
2:11:05
So what and what is the current capacity of the pre k system?
Jeff Klein
2:11:10
So the total capacity of pre k including EDY, SDY and Head Start right as of the February 24, '70 '1 thousand '3 hundred and '40 '9 capacity.
2:11:22
But there are as of that date 56,846 enrolled.
Rita Joseph
2:11:27
Enrolled, okay.
2:11:29
Will more funding needed to be added for the current year for fiscal twenty twenty six?
2:11:32
The out years for instance, UA four zero eight which has the OTPS costs such as contract costs for ECE providers has actual spending of $967,000,000 in 2024, but is currently budgeted at $8.26 in 2025 and only 689,000,000 in 2026, we're noticing decreases.
Seritta Scott
2:11:57
Yep, so as everyone has pointed out including Councilmember Bressler, there's funding that we are that we need in baseline right in our budget after '26, so we're having ongoing conversations to ensure that that is in there and I can get back to you on the specifics of what you just named, but just want to point out that in order for us to sustain those programs we need to have the funding baseline in a budget.
Rita Joseph
2:12:23
Baseline and not have to be doing the two step every two years.