Early Childhood Education
Targeted Pre-kindergarten Program
Questar III’s Pre-kindergarten Program provides comprehensive child development services to classes of 16 children during the school year. Targeted toward children from lower-income families or experiencing risk factors, the program follows New York State Education Department (NYSED) regulations for pre-kindergarten programs. It is partially funded by a NYSED grant. Note: Limited grant funding allows the program to be operated in only three districts. Other districts may enroll in the program when a district currently enrolled in the program drops the service.
Universal Pre-kindergarten Program (UPK)
The primary purpose of this grant program is to provide four-year-old children with a universal opportunity to access high-quality pre-kindergarten programs that prepare them for future school success. The program focuses on child-centered activities, development of strong foundational skills in early literacy and numeracy, social interaction and Kindergarten readiness skills. The UPK regulations require that districts use a minimum of 10% of their UPK grant award to contract with one or more eligible agencies for the provision of the instructional program for a specified number of enrolled children. Through the competitive process, Questar III could be considered the Community Based Organization (CBO) and provide staff, administrative supervision, some nursing services, as well as additional supports to ensure quality of services. Questar III has provided pre-K educational services for nearly three decades and will work closely with your district to ensure that a model program is created and delivered. We also have experience working with additional CBOs to provide an inclusionary model for students with disabilities. Districts will receive a summary of skills gained for each student at the end of the school year to assist with the transition from pre-kindergarten to Kindergarten. Districts may need to reassess elementary curriculum to include the gains of students who have experienced UPK. Classes can have up to eighteen students per one teacher and one teaching assistant (18:1:1).
Pre-K Registration Forms and Information
- Berlin
- Cairo-Durham
- East Greenbush
- Hudson
- Ichabod Crane