Everything Considered: Why Preschool is Often Better than Universal Pre-K
It’s decision time: should you send your child to Universal Pre-K or send them to an accredited preschool? Kudos to you, parents and guardians, for sifting through the Internet and the local community to compare and contrast pre-kindergarten providers.
Exploring all the available options in your area for your budding and bright toddler will help you gain a pragmatic understanding of which option is the best fit. A question that surfaces often while we are speaking with parents is, “what’s the difference between Universal Pre-K and pre-kindergarten?” Identifying the strengths of the two different programs can help your family select the best option for your child.
What is Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)?
Universal Pre-K is a nationwide, government-funded program that makes pre-kindergarten education for 4-year-old children available at no cost. Note, UPK is different from Head Start, which is a federally-funded program for economically disadvantaged families. In Central New York, UPK is typically 2.5 hours with a choice of morning or afternoon classes and follow the school calendar for breaks.
Strengths:
- This option comes at no added cost to the family
- Most UPK runs five days per week from September to June and follows the school calendar
- Stimulates creativity and self-expression through creative play
- Develops critical thinking skills and social maturity essential for school success
- Offers a caring and safe environment to learn and play in
- Encourages pre-reading, pre-math, pre-science and pre-writing skills and concepts that are excellent preparation for kindergarten
Areas to Consider:
- Although some classroom instructors hold teaching certifications, education standards vary from school to school
- Due to a lack of funding, not every county offers Universal Pre-Kindergarten for 3-year-olds yet
What is Preschool?
Preschool is a privately-owned, NYS certified center that focuses on growing children’s social, physical, emotional and cognitive development through interactive lesson plans crafted by trained and experienced educators.
Strengths:
- Teachers are NYS certified in early childhood education
- Encourages pre-reading, pre-math, pre-science and pre-writing skills and concepts that are excellent preparation for kindergarten
- Prekindergarten generates large long-term benefits relative to its costs
- Monday through Friday, full time, year-round, educational care
- Stimulates creativity and self-expression through creative play
- Develops critical thinking skills and social maturity essential for school success
- Prekindergarten offers extracurricular activities such as karate
- Meals are generally included
Areas to consider:
- Typically open during school vacation weeks but are closed on weekends and most major holidays
- Cost of center-based care (fees are paid on a weekly reoccurring basis)
- Age groups in separate rooms split up siblings for the day
- There may be a waiting list at top Central NY State childcare centers
Contact Us for More Information on Preschool Pre-Kindergarten Programs
Little Lukes offers tours for parents who are considering our center as a pre-kindergarten provider. The purpose of the tour is to give parents an inside look at our facility and classrooms, and to offer a Q&A session with our center Director. If you are interested in learning more about Little Lukes Preschool, please schedule a virtual tour online today at https://www.littlelukes.com/ccscheduleatour.html Little Lukes offers a preschool and childcare center in Baldwinsville, Dewitt, Fulton, Oswego, and Pulaski.
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Little Lukes is a leading Syracuse and Oswego County education provider with five inclusion preschool locations. The early education program includes credentialed and caring staff that specializes in comprehensive infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten development. All Lead Teachers and Special Education Teachers are NYS certified. Additional services include pediatric speech therapy, pediatric physical therapy and pediatric occupational therapy with NYS certified therapists. Preschool locations include Dewitt (East Syracuse), Baldwinsville (Radisson), Oswego, Fulton, and Pulaski.
For information about Little Lukes, please contact us at https://www.littlelukes.com/contact.html
