Warren unveils education plan
The city of Rochester will fund new summer programs for young children, support more widespread early screening for developmental disabilities and make it easier for parents to register their 4- and 5-year-olds for school, Mayor Lovely Warren announced Thursday.
Her plan, the 3-to-3 Initiative, is aimed at helping children from age 3 — the year before students typically enter preschool — to third grade, by which time research shows it is critical for children to be up-to-speed in reading and math. It is based on recommendations from the Early Learning Council she convened earlier this year.
"We have children growing up in our city every day," Warren said Thursday. "We can't wait to build a better future for them. We can't wait until we figure it out — we have to do it now."
The council, comprising experts from across the region, found that while there are effective prekindergarten options for city families, there is insufficient programming before children enter prekindergarten and after they leave, particularly in the summer.
Warren's plan promises city funding for programs that stem learning loss in the summer and boost literacy during the school year.
The council's report said it would cost about $1,100 per pupil to provide "high-quality summer programming," not counting anything during the school year. But Warren said Thursday that it could be done without any additional public money, just a reallocation of existing funds and an appeal to local corporations to adopt recreation centers.
The city will also "support" a sub-group of ROC The Future in its effort to screen 3-year-olds for developmental delays and get them help when needed.
The council found a large funding disparity between prekindergarten classes run by the City School District and those run by community partners. Community pre-K teachers, for instance, make barely half what district teachers make, on average.
Warren's plan does not address the council's recommendation to let community providers use city facilities rent-free, and promises only to "look into" extending a current teacher housing credit to teachers at community-based pre-K programs and charter schools.
It does announce that parents will be able to register for pre-K and kindergarten at city libraries and rec centers. The city will create an online school selection tool that includes charter, private and parochial schools in addition to public schools.
The city will also distribute a "quality assessment tool" to distribute to parents, letting them know what their child should know by what grade.
Natasha Knorr has three children, including one at Caring and Sharing Child Care Center on Webster Avenue, where Warren made her announcement.
"This is exactly what our children need," she said about Warren's plan. "The essentials for learning begin with us (parents) at home, but it's great that it can be carried on."
JMURPHY7@DemocratandChronicle.com