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Board approves restructured Pearson early-learning program to add full-day 3s and expand 4s seats
Summary
The board voted to restructure Pearson Early Learning for 202526 2026, adding full-day three-year-old seats, converting some 4-year-old sections to five-day programs and shifting certain preschool literacy offerings into the Stepping Stones model; the plan increases capacity from 320 to 360 and requires limited new hires.
The Shakopee Public School District board approved program changes at Pearson Early Learning that will shift some session structures, expand capacity and realign several preschool offerings for the 202526 2026 school year.
Sarah Moline (listed in the packet as Sarah Bawin), Pearson Early Learning administrator, presented the proposal and said the changes respond to family demand and will improve budget alignment for community education. Key elements approved by the board include:
- Stepping Stones (4-year-old preschool): change from a mix of two-day and three-day 2.5-hour sessions to one morning and one afternoon five-day 2.5-hour option for 4-year-olds. - Add a full-day (9 a.m.3 p.m.) Stepping Stones option for 3-year-olds where wait lists exist. - Shift PACE preschoolers (324-year-old literacy program) into the Stepping Stones preschool to provide a more inclusive, peer-integrated experience. - Increase seats for ECSE (early childhood special education) by providing more five-day-a-week seats and more afternoon seats for 3-year-old special education students. - Projected capacity increase at Pearson Stepping Stones from 320 to 360 total seats for 3- and 4-year-olds.
Moline said the change should reduce unfilled short sections and better match family preferences for longer-duration sessions. On staffing, she told the board the proposal would require hiring one teacher and one paraprofessional to staff additional full-day 3s; some paraprofessional minutes would be reduced elsewhere (about 45 minutes per day) but calendar changes offset much of that time, making the staffing change nearly revenue-neutral.
Board members asked whether the restructuring aligns the district with other local preschool offerings and whether it improves kindergarten readiness; Moline responded that the shift aligns with community offerings and will allow more daily contact and earlier intervention for children who need supports prior to kindergarten. She also said registration for ECFE would open earlier and that the plan is designed to be adaptable: the model will be implemented for 202526 2026 but staff will review annually based on enrollment and demand.
The board voted to approve the proposal (motion by Brophy, second by Aldrich); the motion carried on a recorded voice vote.
Why it matters: the changes increase district-run preschool seats, potentially reducing the number of families seeking private programs, and aim to improve early identification and intervention for children entering kindergarten. The move also has modest staffing implications and a budgetary intention to improve the community-education fund position.
Next steps: staff will implement the new class structures for the 202526 2026 school year, proceed with hiring the indicated positions, and monitor enrollment and financial outcomes.
