CBS New YorkNEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A number of New York City parents are upset that there are fewer opportunities to enroll their kids in half-day prekindergarten programs.
The expansion of prekindergarten is a key component of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration. His team expanded the allotment of free full-day pre-K seats to more than 50,000 last fall, and the aim is to increase it to more than 70,000 students this September.
But that has come at the expense of city-funded pre-K seats, which are being dramatically reduced.
As WCBS 880’s Rich Lamb reported, some parents who favor half-day preschool complain they won’t have enough time with their children or that their kids will have trouble tolerating the six hours, 20 minutes of full-day pre-K.
They have started an petition at Change.org that had 763 supporters as of Wednesday afternoon.
De Blasio, however, was unapologetic Wednesday.
“What I’ve said is a matter of policy, and I ran on this as my No. 1 agenda item is we need full-day pre-K,” he said. “It is transcendent. It’s what will prepare our kids for what they need in the educational reality of today and the economic reality of today.”