On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

Do you guys have public preschool? Basically it's preschool that's part of the school district you are in that you wouldn't pay for?
Or do you guys send you kids to paid private preschool?

I was just speaking to the principal of the preschool in the school district we are going to be in, they only allow 10-12 students a year in their preschool, the rest of the spots are for special needs children, so 75% of the students in each class are special needs.

If you can't get those 10-12 spots you have to do other community preschool or daycare areas.

Preschool here in CT starts at age 3, anything before that is in a daycare setting.

Is this just CT that's like this or is NY like this too? I'm just wondering.

Message edited 4/1/2008 12:03:40 PM.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

I am in Queens and there is universal pre school available free of charge for 4 year olds. But it is only 3 hours a day, 3 days a week I think. Our local YMCA offers it as well (sponsered from NYC)

Message edited 4/1/2008 11:21:48 AM.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

Our SD has a preschool for ages 3 and 4. We pay monthly tuition. Out of district kids are welcome, but their tuition is higher.

I don't know of any SDs on LI with free tuition for pre-K.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

I know some school districts on LI have a pre-school program but most of the time it is a lottery system.

Message edited 4/1/2008 11:21:21 AM.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

NYC has public preschool, but my school district in Nassau Cty does not offer it. So on top of paying insanely high school taxes I pay a decent amount for private preschool.

And I'm in one of the last school districts that has half day kindergarten, so dual income families in our district have to arrange for half day daycare for their kids also.

Message edited 4/1/2008 11:21:46 AM.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

Head Start, but it's income based I believe. If the child has special issues then then the district funds preschool from age 3-5 at various centers in the counties.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

My dd is now in private preschool but now my district has a universal pre-k program but it is by lottery only. So I paid the deposit for next year at the private school in case I dont get chosen.

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

Okay, so it's basically the same.
the town we are moving too have a free playgroup 2 days a week at each elementary school that starts at 2 years old, but a parent/guardian must accompany them. That's pretty cool, especially since i can bring my youngest too.

I will have to pay for dd to enter preschool next year. CT doesn't have full day kindergarden at all.

I'm excited to move up north in CT, here there's NOTHING in walking distance and it's so frustrating, with no car during the day, my walks are just the long way home and where i live there's NO kids or moms in my condo complex.

Sell condo, SELL!!!!

Re: On LI, is there a such thing as Public Preschool?

DS is in district-paid Pre-K (4yo, not preschool, which is 3yo). It's a lottery system, but I don't think they hit the maximum lottery number this year since they bumped up the number of DC they are accepting.