skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

State Shortchanging Pre-Kindergarten Outside of New York City

play audio
Play

Tuesday, October 27, 2015   

MINEOLA, N.Y. – Albany sends New York City far more money for pre-K than other parts of the state, and Nassau County wants its fair share.

Last year the state spent $340 million dollars on pre-K, and all but $40 million went to the city. According to Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, this year New York City is getting 42 times as much funding as Nassau County, while having only six times as many four-year-olds.

"If we don't recognize it and bring it to the attention in a major way it's going to continue, and we don't want it to continue," he says. "We want equitable treatment for our kids."

Maragos says to receive the same funding per child, Nassau County would need to receive an additional $77 million from the state.

Jan Barbieri, executive director of the Child Care Council of Nassau, says those who get good quality, full-day pre-K perform better in school, giving them advantages that follow them for the rest of their lives.

"Those who don't, start falling behind before they're ever even out of grammar school are less likely to graduate high school," she says, "and very often have more difficulty in life from that point forward."

The benefits of pre-K include improved language, literacy and math skills through elementary school, and increased earning potential after high school.

Barbieri has asked Governor Andrew Cuomo to remember his state of the state address from two years ago, when he spoke of expanding pre-K to all New York children.

"Universal pre-K for all includes all of New York State," she says. "Please take a look at the need on Long Island, it's critical."

Nassau County officials have sent letters to the governor, state legislators, school superintendents and business leaders asking for equal pre-K funding for all children in the state.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021