District 25 council backs moving 3-K, pre-K classes into community-based organizations to free classroom space

The Community Education Council for New York City Geographic District 25 voted Thursday to approve a resolution encouraging New York City Department of Education schools to move 3-K and pre-K classes that are currently housed inside elementary school buildings into suitable, nearby community-based organizations (CBOs) to free classroom space.

The resolution, introduced by CEC members Bob Wozorek, Catherine Saint Pierre and Grace Torres, says relocating early childhood classes to CBOs could help schools comply with the state'mandated class-size reductions while preserving or creating specialized spaces for art, music, science, dance and libraries.

The nut of the measure: the council framed CBOs as existing partners that already deliver DOE-funded early-childhood services and argued that shifting some classrooms could add educational square footage without capital construction. "The resolution states that the 3-K and pre-K programs should be moved to suitably nearby community based organizations, CBOs, to free up the needed classroom space," Wozorek read during the presentation.

Supporters said the resolution responds to Chapter 556 of the Laws of 2022 (the New York state law requiring phased class-size reductions) and DOE estimates that many schools lack the rooms needed to meet the new caps. The presenters summarized district data they compiled: about 4,800 citywide seats for 3-K and pre-K in the district, roughly 1,300 of those in DOE-run sites and the remainder in CBOs. The sponsors estimated the change could create up to 57 additional classrooms in District 25 (an estimate that excludes several specific schools listed in the presentation).

During discussion council members raised operational concerns parents frequently mention, including after-school pickup logistics and staff turnover at some CBOs. "A lot of the CBOs do offer extended hour days," Wozorek said in response to questions about parent pickup; Grace Torres added that use of space "depends on the need by each school community." Several council members said extended-day availability is common but varies by provider.

The presenters and several members also noted DOE policy details that affect feasibility: the council was told DOE has threatened to cancel contracts for CBOs that do not meet a 95 percent enrollment threshold, and that CBOs are reimbursed per student rather than per class. Those enrollment and reimbursement rules, the presenters said, bear on whether the proposed relocations would be financially viable for providers.

After public and council comment the body took a roll-call vote on the resolution. The motion was approved by the members present; the meeting transcript records affirmative votes and no recorded oppositions in the roll call.

What the resolution does and does not do: it is an advisory resolution from the local CEC urging use of nearby CBO capacity to free classrooms. It does not itself reassign DOE programs or amend DOE contracts; implementation would depend on DOE policy, existing contract rules and site-by-site capacity and negotiations.

Council members said the change could preserve specialized facilities that have been repurposed as classrooms to meet the lower caps, and would likely be implemented "community by community" based on individual school needs and nearby CBO capacity. The sponsors encouraged further district-level analysis and urged other CECs to consider similar measures.

The council recorded the resolution as approved and agreed to post the text and related materials on the council website.

Ending: Council members asked staff and the presenters to share the slides and the underlying data used in the presentation with the public and to follow up with DOE contacts about contract and reimbursement implications so the district can understand next steps if DOE pursues relocations to CBOs.