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Q&A
Discussion on 3-K and UPK waitlist and placement process
1:07:09
·
178 sec
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez inquires about the DOE's plans to address waitlists for 3-K and UPK programs, referencing the previous year's approximately 2,000 waitlisted applicants. DOE officials explain the nuances of the waitlist system and their commitment to providing seats for all applicants.
- DOE clarifies that being on a waitlist doesn't necessarily mean a child doesn't have a seat, as families are automatically waitlisted for higher preference choices.
- The department commits to offering a seat to everyone who applies in the May round.
- Council Member Gutiérrez expresses concerns about families having to put down deposits while on waitlists for preferred choices.
- The Chancellor thanks the council member for her support and offers to have further discussions on the topic.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:07:09
Well, I'll be patient and I'll remain hopeful, and again, just wanna give you all your flowers.
1:07:14
And my last question, because last year, obviously, you all successfully offered three ks placement to every family that applied on time.
1:07:26
And however, there were still, I believe, around 2,000 that were still on a wait list.
1:07:31
And just curious kind of the the plan for for this year.
1:07:36
I know that you don't have all the numbers in just yet.
1:07:39
But are there any additional efforts that maybe you wanna share with us to avoid, kinda to avoid this this wait list of of, you know, certainly, I think 2,000 is is a lot, but anything that you are all working on to avoid that wait list, anything you did differently that you wanna highlight just to ensure that every kid that applies, like, has that seat, and there's there's just no wait list, hopefully.
Travonda Kelly
1:08:01
The commitment to give everyone a seat who applies in the May round remains this year.
1:08:08
Your questions about the wait list, I I do wanna be clear that just because families are on a waitlist doesn't mean that they don't have a seat.
1:08:17
And so this is a very This family choice and we wanna make sure that families are getting exactly what they want, and sometimes if they are offered the second, third, or third choice, fourth choice, or fifth choice, we always put them on the waitlist automatically for programs that they had a higher choice and wanting.
1:08:36
And so therefore the waitlist, yes, we want to make sure that families are getting exactly what they want, just because we will have families on a waitlist doesn't mean that they're without, and we'll continue to use the waitlist so that families can continue to get the choice that they want.
1:08:50
As we've seen last year, we started with 2,000 families who did not receive an offer in which they were on the waitlist, and then by the August, we were able to give everyone a an offer, but that didn't mean that it even stopped at that point.
1:09:05
Families were still receiving offers to more preferred choices throughout the fall.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:09:10
Okay.
1:09:11
Alright.
1:09:11
Thank you.
1:09:11
I just, and we can we can talk more about it, at the next meeting, but I know that just folks were bogged down, putting down deposits, in the meantime, and and I get it that it was not they were waitlisted.
1:09:22
It was not necessarily it might have been their second or third choices, but would love to, continue to to work through that with you all.
Melissa Aviles-Ramos
1:09:28
Council member.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:09:28
Thank you.
1:09:29
Thank you, chair.
Melissa Aviles-Ramos
1:09:29
No.
1:09:29
Council member, I just wanna thank you so much for your continued support and partnership, always asking really thoughtful questions and giving us the space and the grace, right, to get you the most accurate information and have these productive conversations.
1:09:42
And so as we collect these data, and do an analysis, we would love to sit down with you and and anyone else who's interested, to really unpack the implications.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:09:52
Yes.
1:09:52
Thank you.
1:09:53
And chancellor, we're we're ready for you at Nue Stos Ninos.
1:09:55
I know your team is working, with us for for the visit.
1:09:58
Thank you.
1:09:59
Thank you, chair.
Melissa Aviles-Ramos
1:09:59
They are.
1:10:00
That's I'm telling you, chief of staff is she's watching all of this right now,
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:10:03
and she's just taking note of all
Espa Zigouris
1:10:04
the visits.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:10:05
Thank you so much.
1:10:06
Thank you, chair Joseph.