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Stamford will be able to offer pre-K to a class of 15 students thanks to Smart Start, a ten-year initiative passed last year as Senate Bill 25.
“Stamford, like other school districts across the state, has an unmet need for high-quality pre-K,” said Leone. “We passed the Smart Start initiative to create additional chances for students to access an early childhood education, and with this news we can extend that opportunity to 15 more children from Stamford. This is another great step in our efforts to achieve universal pre-K in Connecticut.”
Smart Start is intended to expand pre-K in public school settings, and is funded through a combination of state bonding for capital improvements and funds from the Tobacco Settlement Fund for operations. Stamford will receive $75,000 in capital improvement funding and $75,000 in operations funding. “We must ensure that children are equipped with the tools they need to succeed in life – regardless of income or zip code,” said Governor Malloy. “Expanding the availability of preschool options in our state will prepare them for college and careers in a global, 21st Century economy.” “Thanks to Smart Start, 416 more three and four-year-olds in Connecticut will be able to attend high-quality preschool this fall,” said Myra Jones-Taylor, Office of Early Childhood commissioner .
Smart Start pre-K classrooms must provide high-quality early education including a minimum of school-day and school-year programming; hold accreditation and be in good standing with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), be approved and/or in good standing with the federal Head Start program, have documentation that they are in the process of obtaining accreditation from NAEYC or have a plan to ensure that the program will be accredited within three years of receiving funding through Smart Start; classroom sizes do not exceed 18 children; and priority enrollment for children from low-income families, children with special needs and children who are dual language learners receive priority enrollment.
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