by: Leah Mallory

September 9, 2026

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — After Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the expansion of prekindergarten access across hundreds of New York school districts, local educators and child advocates said the expansion is another positive step toward achieving equitable and universal pre-K.

“What it means for us this year is that we’re able to add an additional staff member. So, we’re looking to hire an additional special education teacher to help support students’ needs as they come in as young as 3 to 4 years old for universal pre-K,” said Kelly Santora, director of data, assessment and interventions for the West Irondequoit Central School District.

According to the governor’s office, more than 400 school districts will see new pre-K seats, including 42 districts in the Finger Lakes.

The seats come after a $563 million increase in state funding. Santora said the money is a game changer, not just for children, but for parents as well.

“Because the funding that we receive from the state essentially pays for that UPK program for them. The only thing that families may have to pay out of pocket for is if they need additional wrap care, either before school or after school, but it’s minimal compared to what they would be paying for private universal pre-K,” Santora said.

Child advocacy organizations such as The Children’s Agenda said the increased pre-K access will provide more young learners with a chance to build foundational skills, including reading, identifying colors and simple math.

“About 90% of a child’s brain develops before they even enter the formal school system at age 5. So, the experiences they’re having at birth and 1, 2, 3, 4 are really foundational for their future success,” said Shannon Mullin, senior policy analyst for The Children’s Agenda.

However, both the organization and the school district agree there is still more work to be done.

“I know transportation is a big barrier for some of our families as well. So, continuing to work with our state partners on that as well,” Santora said.

Mullin said the organization hopes the state considers more funding for 3-year-olds.

“So that there’s equity across the program. And we want to make sure that community-based organizations have full access so that families can choose the environment that works best for their child,” Mullin said.

By the 2028-29 school year, the governor’s office said its goal is to ensure pre-K is universal for every 4-year-old statewide.

Original story here: https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/education/more-finger-lakes-families-gain-access-to-pre-k-under-state-expansion/