The Salamanca City Central School District takes part in two UPK grants through the NYS Education Department.  They include the Statewide Universal Full Day Pre K grant (SUFDPK) and the Universal Prekindergarten grant (UPK).  Both grants run from July 1 to June 30th of the school year. The Office of Early Learning (OEL) is responsible for a wide range of educational programs and works closely with parents, early care and education agencies, schools and state agencies to coordinate programs and resources with the goal of making New York’s early learning system as comprehensive and seamless as possible.

• "Early childhood education for all children ages birth through grade 3 is an integrated system designed to ensure that each child receives a healthy start and attains the skills and concepts to have a successful academic experience in developmentally appropriate programs."

The UPK grants were created by Chapter 53 of the Laws of 2014 to fund universal full-day prekindergarten programs in accordance with Section 3602-ee of the Education Law.  The purpose of the programs is to provide four-year-old students with an opportunity to access high-quality pre-kindergarten programs that will provide the foundation to help prepare them for future school success. Section 3602-e of Education Law defines "eligible students" as resident children who are four years of age on or before December 1st of the year in which they are enrolled or who will otherwise be first eligible to enter public school kindergarten the following school year. Children who are eligible to enroll in kindergarten are not eligible for UPK. School districts must establish a process to select eligible students to receive UPK services. When there are more eligible applicants than can be served in a given school year the district must select students on a random basis.

Program goals include creating high quality full day prekindergarten programs that assist children in developing language and communication skills; promoting early literacy skills and critical thinking; and fostering the requisite social and emotional development and motor skills necessary for school success. Funds are allocated to school districts in accordance with a formula set forth in Section 3602-e (10) of Education Law. The following protocols must be followed in submission for this grant through NYS Education Department:

Office of Early Learning: http://www.nysed.gov/early-learning

• Take part in our Zoom meetings

  • Especially between June and August when the grant is in process for the following year

• Bring ideas to your administrators for future years

• Recommended parents and/or students to come to Zoom meetings and participate

 Quarterly Zooms as followed:

• 8/25/22

• 12/1/22

• 2/9/23

• 5/25/23

Please contact Erin Raun at 716-945-5142 option 1 or ERaun@salamancany.org to register and obtain the password.