Offer free, full-day, high-quality pre-kindergarten for every four- year-old

Summary

Pre-K for All is New York City’s truly universal full-day pre-kindergarten system. As of December 2013, fewer than 27 percent of four-year-olds in the city had access to full-day pre-kindergarten. Launching Pre-K for All in January 2014, the City committed to ensuring all four-year-olds whose families are interested in full-day pre-k could participate in a high-quality program by the 2015-2016 school year.

In September 2014, the City opened 245 new full-day sites in all five boroughs. Recognizing the critical role teachers play in early childhood education, the City committed to recruiting high-quality pre-k teachers with early childhood certification, as well as supporting several hundred teachers in earning their certification through a partnership with City University of New York (CUNY). It also trained more than 6,000 lead teachers, assistants, and paraprofessionals. Programs are expected to support all children in gaining the foundation needed to realize their potential. These programs focus on curriculum, instruction, and family engagement on the skills and knowledge reflected in the comprehensive state pre-k learning standards, known as the New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core.