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As anyone with young children or grandchildren likely knows, Universal Pre-K expanded in a big way in New York City this academic year. Enrollment numbers surged, and some 53,000 4-year-olds are now receiving a high quality, free education at government expense.
To achieve his goal of such increased enrollment, Mayor Bill de Blasio had to form alliances with many providers outside the traditional public school system. To put it more simply, he had to reach out to get the additional seats he wanted.
The archdiocesan school system, through the support of Cardinal Dolan and Dr. Timothy McNiff, archdiocesan superintendent of schools, was one place that had additional seats it could offer. And it did so.
So that I don’t mislead you, it should be noted that the archdiocese’s schools have been offering Universal Pre-K instruction for about a decade, according to school officials I spoke with this week. It is just one of the various early childhood programs they offer.
Those same officials told me that Universal Pre-K, or UPK, in the archdiocese doubled both in terms of the number of students and schools offering it this year largely in response to the archdiocese’s acceptance of the mayor’s offer to work together.
But all that was news at the start of the school year, when we covered it, not now.
What is new now is a development, due largely to the efforts of the Orthodox Jewish community, which has resulted in greater flexibility for religious schools participating in UPK education.
In essence, religious schools that provide such instruction will be able to schedule a break in the middle of the day for non-program activities, among other changes. Providers of UPK instruction were notified of this greater flexibility in a Feb. 18 letter from Deputy Mayor Richard Buery.
That midday break can be an opportunity to say mealtime grace or another prayer with the students at lunch, or it may be a good time to bring the class for a visit to the parish church if it is within a short distance. One recent occasion that would have offered a great reason for a church visit was Ash Wednesday.
“It’s fabulous,” said Connie McCrory, director of early childhood education for the archdiocese. “We’re thrilled with that. It allows us to interject our religion in an age-appropriate way in the course of the day.”
She did caution that not every child is required to participate in that break and that accommodation must be made for children whose parents choose not to. And even Catholic students would need to bring a signed permission slip for any trips outside the building.
She said that the Superintendent of Schools Office has not yet developed a specific set of protocols to deal with the new city policy directives, but that the matter is under discussion and “on our list of things to do,” in plenty of time before September.
She noted that lessons during regular funded instruction previously could treat topics such as morality, religion or prayer in a general way without specifics about Catholicism. Though specifics still cannot come during regular instruction time, Ms. McCrory thinks principals and teachers will be glad to fill in some of the gaps where it will now be permitted.
Of course, such “flexibility” doesn’t come about on its own, and the Orthodox Jewish community deserves credit for taking up the cause and helping to bring about the changes.
The archdiocesan schools benefit from having fuller schools, with the full bill paid by someone else.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to give more families and students exposure to the good things that go on in Catholic schools. The program isn’t perfect but perhaps it will offer more students and their families a reason to stick around as they move forward in school.
