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Q&A
Comparison of 3-K and pre-K applications and offers
0:54:12
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145 sec
Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about the number of 3-K and pre-K applications compared to the previous year and the DOE's ability to offer seats to all applicants. DOE officials provide information on application trends and seat availability.
- 3-K applications are slightly higher than last year, while pre-K applications are slightly lower
- DOE plans to offer a seat to every family that submitted a 3-K or pre-K application
- $20 million retained from last year is being used to extend offers to recent applicants
- There are over 5,000 pre-K extended day (EDY) seats available, with significant under-enrollment in this category
Rita Joseph
0:54:12
So how how did the number of applications this year for three ks and the numbers of offers made to date compared to last year?
Trevonda Kelly
0:54:22
For three ks it's slightly higher and for pre k is slightly lower, but there is pretty flat.
Rita Joseph
0:54:28
It's pretty flat.
0:54:29
So do you plan to offer a seat to every family that submitted a pre k and three ks application?
Trevonda Kelly
0:54:35
Yes, that's correct.
Rita Joseph
0:54:36
If not, will you be requesting funding to be able to make an offer to every applicant and how much will that cost?
Trevonda Kelly
0:54:42
Well we did make an offer to every applicant.
Rita Joseph
0:54:44
Yeah, last year we had to pay for that, remember?
0:54:47
So is that are we doing that same model this year again or no?
Simone Hawkins
0:54:52
So, thanks to you and the administration as well, we were able to retain that $20,000,000 and so the seats created with the $20,000,000 last year went into the pool this year which we used to extend offers to recent applicants, so no we are not adding any additional seats.
Rita Joseph
0:55:09
Okay, thank you.
0:55:11
If DOE was able to make an offer to every family, how many extended day and extended year offers DOE was able to provide to eligible applicants?
Simone Hawkins
0:55:19
And so, we cannot determine or any perspective in eligibility for EDY, so they have to undergo the application and only after that process can we determine eligibility.
0:55:31
However, we can say that the 2,503 ks parent families currently enrolled will have a seat to matriculate into.
0:55:41
There are over 5,000 pre k EDY seats, and as I mentioned, we have some significant under enrollment, and most of that is pervasive in the EDY portion of our program, and so there is a lot of wiggle room to accommodate families who are determined eligible for EDY.
Rita Joseph
0:55:59
And this year you're starting earlier than last year because last year we started really late in offering families and just similar to summarizing we have to start earlier families make plans, right?
0:56:08
So we have to learn to plan around families in taking these seats.
0:56:12
They plan their vacation, they plan their time, so we have to also be mindful of that and starting earlier.
0:56:18
In terms of headstarts, I wanted to get around headstart.
0:56:22
In addition to the early childhood education funded added in the executive plan, the administration also currently reapplying for headstart funding and announced that it will be aging down city headstart system as well as working to buffer any potential changes in the head start funding.