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Q&A
Discussion on early childhood education seat allocation and continuity
1:05:25
·
97 sec
Deputy Chancellor Simone Hawkins addresses Council member Brooks-Powers' questions about early childhood education, focusing on seat allocation and continuity from 3-K to pre-K programs. Hawkins acknowledges the challenges and outlines the DOE's strategies to improve the system.
- Discusses the issue of matriculation from 3-K to pre-K and the need for continuity of care
- Mentions exploring a 'preschool band model' to make seats more flexible based on demand
- Commits to looking into specific concerns about decreases in 3-K capacity in the Council member's district
Simone Hawkins
1:05:25
So I'm gonna be lead with transparency and vulnerability.
1:05:28
I did not capture all your questions and so bear with me.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:05:31
I will repeat whatever you need me to.
Simone Hawkins
1:05:34
Go, Dan.
1:05:34
I also want to modify one of my responses and so I got a little excited for our application for Head Start.
1:05:40
We actually applied for a little over 2,000 seats, so I apologize for that.
1:05:45
And so any specifics around your district councilmember, I will definitely get back to you all, have my team look into that, but one of the things you highlighted around the matriculation issue from three ks to pre k is at the core of one of the things we're trying to solve for.
1:06:00
And so and also one of the reasons why families have to apply year over year even if they're already enrolled in a three ks seat.
1:06:07
And so what we want to do is where space is possible and where providers, CBOs, otherwise are interested in having that continuity of care model at their site.
1:06:17
We want to build that in as much as possible.
1:06:19
We're also figuring out ways to make seats fungible, right?
1:06:23
Demand changes year over year.
1:06:26
We can't keep adding three ks, change into pre k, and vice versa.
1:06:31
So where we can have a more kind of preschool band model that is something we are exploring as well because again it will give the provider and the school leader the opportunity to shift as needed and as expected by their families.
1:06:45
Specifics on you know again your district, I know my colleague Dan took some great questions, so we'll definitely look into it.
Daniel Weisberg
1:06:53
Decrease in three ks capacity in week twenty one?
Simone Hawkins
1:06:56
We'll definitely look into that and get back to you around three k, a decrease in three k capacity.