RI Department of Education Adds 320 New Seats to State Pre-K Program
GoLocalProv News Team
RI Department of Education Adds 320 New Seats to State Pre-K Program
“Our Pre-K program is consistently ranked among the best in the nation, and I’m encouraged that hundreds more children will now have the opportunity for a strong start. This is noteworthy progress toward our ultimate goal of making Pre-K available to every family who wants it. It’s clear that kids who attend Pre-K are more likely to read at grade level, graduate high school, and get a good job. I look forward to working with the General Assembly to expand the program even further in the future,” said Governor Gina Raimondo.
Parents and families must submit their applications by July 31, 2019, in order to be considered for one of the free, available seats.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“I have seen first-hand how valuable Pre-K learning experiences are for students, and I am encouraged to see even more families take advantage of that opportunity in the upcoming school year. As we work across the entire state to improve educational outcomes, we need to do all we can to expand opportunity and access for all learners – no matter where they live. This is a step in the right direction,” said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Adding Seats
Raimondo’s original proposal in her budget was to add 540 seats in the 2019-2020 school year.
The final budget approved by the General Assembly expanded the program, adding the 320 new seats and the equivalent of 18 classrooms.
This brings the total Pre-K seats for the state to 1,420, with 78 classrooms statewide.
New sites in new and existing Pre-K communities have been added, prompting the opening of a second lottery for interested families.
Lottery Details:
- To be eligible, children must be 4 years old by September 1, 2019, and must reside within a community that hosts one of these Pre-K programs.
- Families may apply for more than one site if multiple sites exist in their community of residence, but only one application per family will be accepted.
- Paper applications can be picked up at any state Pre-K site within the second lottery and are due back to the eligible program by 4 p.m. on July 31, 2019.
- Families can also apply online at www3.ride.ri.gov/PKlottery2 by 4 p.m. on July 31, 2019. Each family will receive a confirmation number once they have completed the online application. If they do not receive an email confirmation they can call (401) 222-8184 to speak to a RIDE State Pre-K Team member.
- Parents will be notified via email the week of August 5 if they were selected or waitlisted for a State Pre-K classroom.
- Enrollment for selected families will take place the week of August 5, 2019. Programs will contact families to provide specific information.
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