District seeks state Early Start CT funding; 27 classrooms and 11 community sites planned
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Summary
The board approved a purchase-of-service agreement to receive Early Start CT funding for 27 district classrooms and 11 community partner sites; board members raised questions about vacancy reporting and the family resource centers’ local match.
The board approved a purchase-of-service agreement with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood to fund Early Start CT classrooms in Waterbury public schools. The district told the board it will operate 27 classrooms and partner with about 11 community sites as part of the Early Start network.
Commissioners asked about vacancy reporting and why United Way appears in the contract for vacancy reporting; district staff said they would follow up with a written explanation. Commissioner Van Stone and others emphasized public awareness, noting that Early Start supports children from 6 weeks to age 3 with long weekly hours and can be a learning environment as well as childcare.
The board also approved applications for family resource center grants for Reed and Wilson schools. Staff confirmed the family resource center grants are small (roughly $113,000) with a required local match that the board-provided example calculated at about $28,000; staff said the match had been reviewed through purchasing and finance procedures.