What's happening
This bill expands universal pre-kindergarten aid to include three-year-olds and extends teacher certification deadlines and program expiration dates.
Why it matters
Expanding eligibility to three-year-olds means earlier access to pre-kindergarten education, which research suggests can improve long-term academic and social outcomes, especially for children from low-income backgrounds.
Extending the certification deadline for pre-kindergarten teachers from three to five years gives educators and providers more flexibility to meet professional requirements, potentially easing staffing challenges and supporting program continuity.
Prolonging the program’s expiration date and aligning certification timelines helps ensure the stability of universal pre-kindergarten offerings, giving families and school districts more predictability and time to plan for enrollment and staffing.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Universal Pre-K
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 38
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1179
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to universal pre-kindergarten aid; and to amend part CC of chapter 56 of the laws of 2014, amending the education law relating to universal full-day pre-kindergarten, in relation to providing for the repeal of such provisions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 3602-e of the education law, as amended by section 19 of part B of chapter 57 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
c. "Eligible children" shall mean resident children who are three or four years of age on or before December first of the year in which they are enrolled or who will otherwise be first eligible to enter public school kindergarten commencing with the following school year.
§ 2. Clauses 1 and 2 of subparagraph (i) of paragraph c of subdivision 8 of section 3602-ee of the education law, as amended by section 31-a of part YYY of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017, are amended to read as follows:
(1) for teachers hired on or after the effective date of this section as the teacher for a universal full-day pre-kindergarten classroom, within [three] five years after commencing employment, at which time such certification shall be required for employment; and
(2) for teachers hired by such provider prior to the effective date of this section for other early childhood care and education programs, no later than June thirtieth, two thousand [seventeen] nineteen, at which time such certification shall be required for employment.
§ 3. Section 2 of part CC of chapter 56 of the laws of 2014, amending the education law relating to universal full-day pre-kindergarten, is amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06544-01-9
S. 1179 2
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be deemed repealed July 1, 2021.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately, provided that the amendments to section 3602-ee of the education law, made by section two of this act, shall not affect the expiration and repeal of such section, and shall expire and be deemed repealed therewith.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to universal pre-kinder- garten aid; and to amend part CC of chapter 56 of the laws of 2014, amending the education law relating to universal full-day pre-kindergar- ten, in relation to providing for the repeal of such provisions
Purpose
OF THE BILL:
This bill consolidates six existing pre-kindergarten programs into a single Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends section 3602-e of the education law to consolidate pre-kindergarten programs, as their grants expire, beginning with the 2017-18 school year. Such consolidation shall be fully phased- in for the 2022-23 school year. Also makes changes to grant levels and defines 'full-day prekindergarten pupils', 'half-day prekindergarten pupils', 'current year prekindergarten pupils served', and 'maintenance of effort factor'.
Section two of the bill makes a proportional maintenance of effort reduction where a school district serves less pre-kindergarten pupils than its maintenance of effort.,
Section three of the bill makes a technical change that directs SED to determine the base year level of general support to public schools and include grant amounts allocated under UPK, where such grants had previ- ously been allocated by means other than general support for public schools.
Section four of the bill amends the definitions of 'eligible children' and 'unnerved prekindergarten pupils' to include three year olds.
Section five of the bill amends the teacher certification implementation from three to five years.
Section six of the bill repeals the statewide full-day pre-kindergarten program, effective July 1, 2019, after it is consolidated in the universal pre-kindergarten program.
Justification
Currently, $800 million is spent in New York State to fund seven differ- ent pre-kindergarten program, with each program having different admin- istrative requirements and education curriculum. This causes confusion and fiscal uncertainty for Pre-K programs operating across the state. The varying curriculum also leaves children throughout New York with imbalanced learning, making kindergarten readiness more unpredictable for teachers. In addition, the number of Pre-K programs make certif- ication more difficult and undefined for those looking to enter the occupation or transfer between programs within the state.
By consolidating the programs, we will eliminate much of the confusion surrounding the implementation and administration of pre-kindergarten. In addition, the children of New York will receive a uniform curriculum that better prepares them for the first day of kindergarten, and gives kindergarten teachers the ability to prepare coursework, knowing that children have received the same Pre-K instruction. As a result of these changes, universal Pre-K will truly be universal to all of the children of New York, regardless of where a child lives.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: S5122 - EDUCATION
Fiscal implications for state
Undetermined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.