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It looks like Di Blasio and Cuomo want this to happen. Read today that Cuomo wants it paid from state "surplus" vs Di Blasio's plan to tax those over $500k. You betcha that in a few years this will be another line item on our tax bills.
I have a few questions (probably because I did not attend pre-K, and only had two hours of Kindergarden and am now scholastically deficient):
1 . if there is indeed a state surplus, why should it fund pre-K ? What about the sad condition of the state highways ? How about returning some of the 9k I paid last year in state tax back to me from the surplus? (or is that what the STAR exemption is supposed to be)?
2 - at what age would pre-k begin ? three years old ? four years old ? lots of three year old kids are not toilet trained. who would pay for the diapers ? who would pay for people who change the diapers ?
3 - where do these kids go to pre-k ? existing schools ? existing child care centers ? new child care centers ? new schools ? I hope there is lots of $$ in Cuomo's "surplus". will parents complain if the pre-k center is not close to where they live ?
4 - how do the kids get there ? does anyone out there think a three or four year old should ride a bus ?
5 - will we have to pay for another slew of child (baby) psychologists at these centers at taxpayer expense ?
6- does the state of New York actually have the right to enforce this idea on the taxpayers ?
Full day pre-K is a total joke. It's just babysitting. And my school district is at 110% capacity, and there is no vacant land to build or expand. Where are we going to get the classroom space for another 250 kids and the money for a lot more teachers (I assume teacher to student ratios are low for 4-year olds).
Cuomo and De Bozo - two big clowns who will bring New York down.
1 . if there is indeed a state surplus, why should it fund pre-K ? What about the sad condition of the state highways ? How about returning some of the 9k I paid last year in state tax back to me from the surplus? (or is that what the STAR exemption is supposed to be)?
So why aren't your state legislators pushing back? LIers obviously don't need pre K and you all know that the money which you paid taxes for could be put to better use elsewhere. Why are the LI and other non NYC legislators being quiet about this?
Full day pre-K is a total joke. It's just babysitting. And my school district is at 110% capacity, and there is no vacant land to build or expand. Where are we going to get the classroom space for another 250 kids and the money for a lot more teachers (I assume teacher to student ratios are low for 4-year olds).
Cuomo and De Bozo - two big clowns who will bring New York down.
Most of the pre-k day for 4 year olds is babysitting because they only have so much of an attention span. Our kids were taught about 3 hours of the day mixed in with some learning play and were ready for Kindergarten work as we can attest to now that they are actually in K. They are being taught similar things, just in more detail.
I read a post from an older parent how they used to expect 1st graders to finally read at an A level (the most basic). Now K students are expected to finish the year at C. If anything, kids are being taught earlier and pre-K helps their minds develop. The social aspect is equally as important. I would recommend all 4-year olds get into a learning pre-K program or they will be behind when they start K. Not only is that bad for their progress, it also affects their self-esteem - yes even at 5 years old.
It is even more competitive in the city as they have to take a "test" to get into pre-K. As much as I believe my kids have progressed here, a friend's kid who went through a city school is reading, writing, and drawing well beyond K at the same age.
Most of the pre-k day for 4 year olds is babysitting because they only have so much of an attention span. Our kids were taught about 3 hours of the day mixed in with some learning play and were ready for Kindergarten work as we can attest to now that they are actually in K. They are being taught similar things, just in more detail.
I read a post from an older parent how they used to expect 1st graders to finally read at an A level (the most basic). Now K students are expected to finish the year at C. If anything, kids are being taught earlier and pre-K helps their minds develop. The social aspect is equally as important. I would recommend all 4-year olds get into a learning pre-K program or they will be behind when they start K. Not only is that bad for their progress, it also affects their self-esteem - yes even at 5 years old.
It is even more competitive in the city as they have to take a "test" to get into pre-K. As much as I believe my kids have progressed here, a friend's kid who went through a city school is reading, writing, and drawing well beyond K at the same age.
Yes, pre-K is a very important step for every child. However, I paid for my kids to go. I did not have tax payer funded pre-K.
Look, the deal is and De Blasio knows this, once you have an unstoppable stream of endless cash, which is what the new tax revenue represents, there's no stopping it. The Albany-funded alternative from the Gov, an attempt to cheaply keep the lid on taxes before a 2016 presidential run, can and will stop.
And how will the funds from the additional tax revenue be spent? Why don't we ask the Healthcare Workers Union 1099, they've been in Mayor Bill's pocket from early in his career. What does this union have to do with pre-k? When they handle day-care and childcare for the city and will figure prominently in the new Pre-K administration.
But wait, there's more! Mayor Bill will add union and city worker jobs but the real heavy lifting will be done by Community Based Organizations, CBO's for short. A CBO is an easy way to leach tax revenue into the hands of politically favored and those who are owed favors. The CBO system is why politicians, like Pedro Espada (D-Bronx) are serving time. Pedro started a CBO to provide health-care clinics in his native Bronx. He also used the CBO as a personal piggy-bank, to lease Mercedes-Benzes, eat at the finest restaurants and stay at the most opulent resorts.
Now, I'm not saying the shiney new mayor has a plan, but it's New York and it's 2014. Nothing like grinding the lone economic engine in NYS right into the ground.
"It's a guy from Long Island that's trying to prevent New York City from determining what is in our best interest," said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. She was talking about Skelos.
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