NYC Universal Pre-K seats available

NYC has been allowed by the State to go ahead with its mid-year UPK expansion. City Council is partnering with the Department of Education (DOE), the Administration for Children Services (ACS) and childcare advocates to help enroll four-year olds in FREE Universal Pre Kindergarten (UPK) programs by Friday, January 30.

Currently, there are over 4,000 half-day and full-day UPK seats still available for children who turned four by December 31, 2008, in public schools, child care centers contracted by (ACS) and community-based organizations contracted by the (DOE). UPK is a flexible program because families can enroll their four-year olds in programs where they live, where they work or where they go to school.

Research clearly supports UPK as a way to support the social, emotional and academic skills of children as well as prepare children for kindergarten.

The DOE Web site has a directory of programs with available seats at (http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEnrollment/PreK/default.htm).

If you have questions please call Melvyn Mahon in Speaker Quinn's District Office at (212) 564-7757 x102 or call one of your local electeds.