Enrollment in local preschools is down in what administrators and school employees attribute to a statewide trend.
“We’re down about 10 to 12 students from last year,” said Superintendent Ruben Zepeda, of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District, which runs a bilingual Tom Connolly “Mi Escuelita” Preschool at its elementary schools.
In the Hollister School District, there are about 20 openings in the afternoon sessions of state subsidized preschool programs at R.O. Hardin and Calaveras schools, said Kim O’Connor, the district’s coordinator of the migrant program and state preschools. Head Start and the nonprofit Go Kids—which offer state-subsidized preschool programs independent from the school districts—have reported similar situations, O’Connor said.
“It’s everyone,” she said. “It’s all over the state.”
Administrators say a relatively new transitional kindergarten program; a lack of affordable housing; the high cost of living in California; and the state’s Great Recession are to blame for the openings.
The state’s TK (transitional kindergarten) program was established about five years ago by the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010, which changed the required entrance age for kindergarten and first grade, according to the California Department of Education’s website. The same act established a transitional kindergarten program. Students can attend so-called TK if they turn five years old between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2, according to the website.
Many parents prefer it because it is an all-day program, while preschool is just three hours, O’Connor said.
“State preschool guidelines call for that length of a program,” said Gary McIntire, the superintendent of the Hollister School District. “So we can’t just extend it because we didn’t get funding for it.”
The state subsidized preschool programs serve students, age 3-5, from low-income families. The programs are meant to give children from families that can’t afford private preschool a fair start. To qualify, one to two-person families must make a yearly income of $39,396 or less. Increased yearly incomes are allotted for each additional family member.
At the private Meadowlark Preschool, where the program is not state subsidized and parents pay out of pocket, classes are full but the waiting list is smaller than in prior years.
“It’s been normal this year,” said Joy Urtnowski, the school’s owner and director, as she considered enrollment. “I think we have a full roster. In past years, we’ve had longer waiting lists. This year, we don’t have a long waiting list.”
Typically the center, located off Mansfield Road in Hollister, takes up to 26 students each day, Urtnowski said. In the past, they’ve had 10 students on the waiting list, she explained. This year, there is no waiting list.
“Just the transitional kindergarten is the only thing I can really think about off the top of my head,” the school owner said.
The TK program offered through the school district is free while parents pay for their students to attend the private preschool, she explained.
Ruben Zepeda of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District also pointed to a recent dip in the economy as a possible reason for the lack of preschool students this year.
“I think some of it may be the result of the economy and people moving out of California because of the recession,” the administrator said.
To operate a state subsidized preschool, a district must submit an application for the following year and make projections for enrollment, explained said Gary McIntire, the superintendent of the Hollister School District. If enrollment is lower than expected, the district must make up the difference with its general fund.
Currently, the Hollister School District program is operating at a loss, he said.
The district applied for another year of funding, but it is still conceivable that they may shut down some of the programs they currently offer, McIntire explained. The morning sessions seem to be doing better than the afternoon ones, he added.
McIntire added it’s not “simply a dollar and cents decision” and the district will need to decide whether closing preschool programs would mean youngsters are less prepared for kindergarten.
Another thing O’Connor is reviewing is affordability of housing. The district’s coordinator of state preschools believes a lack of affordable housing is causing lower-income families to leave the area, she said. In Santa Clara County, the more affluent areas don’t have state preschools, she added.
There are openings in the state subsidized preschools in the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District and the Hollister School District. Families with children ages 3-5 should call (831) 630-6334 in Hollister and (831) 623-2627 in Aromas or San Juan Bautista to learn if their kids are eligible for the free preschool program.
How to sign up: Hollister School District
Who: Children, ages 3.5-5, who are income eligible and reside within the district. Priority enrollment for children who turn 4 years old by Sept.1; are at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation; have families that are recipients of public assistance; have families that are homeless; or receive child protective services through the county welfare department.
When: 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. OR 12:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. during the district school year
Where: R.O. Hardin, Calaveras and Gabilan Hills schools
Details: (831) 630-6334
How to sign up: Aromas-San Juan Unified School District
Who: Children, ages 3-5, who are income eligible; Students must be 3 years old before Sept. 1, 2015 and fully potty trained.
When: 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. during the district school year
Where: San Juan and Aromas schools
Details: Cindy Guajardo: (831) 623-2627
California State Preschool Program: Assembly Bill 2759, which was passed in 2008, created the California State Preschool Program. The program is administered through local educational agencies, colleges, community-action agencies and private nonprofits. It is the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation.
SOURCE: California Department of Education’s website
Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010: Senate Bill 1381 amended California’s education code to change the required age for admission to kindergarten and first grade. The same act established a transitional kindergarten program for students that turn five years old between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2.
SOURCE: California Department of Education’s website
