Beatrice faces surge in preschool applications; board agrees to pursue state startup grant and draft policy on 5-year-olds

Beatrice Public Schools administrators told the board they are seeing an unusually large number of early-childhood registration applications and recommended applying for a state startup grant to open a tenth preschool classroom.

Missy (staff member) told the board that preschool registration numbers grew rapidly after registration opened Jan. 15: she reported 63 registrations after day two, 74 after day five, and 93 as of the day she prepared her presentation. Administrators said these early totals are larger than typical and that the district already saves classroom slots for students with special education needs, English-language learners and Head Start placements.

Missy said the district can apply for a state early-childhood startup grant that would help open an additional classroom but stressed the grant is a start-up award, not guaranteed ongoing funding. She also noted a staffing challenge: the district’s preschool teachers are certified in early childhood and special…