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Parents and teachers urge Saddleback Valley board to keep long‑running preschool connection program
Summary
Multiple parents and preschool teachers told the board the district’s planned closure of the parent‑paid Preschool Connection, a 30‑year program that fills gaps for children not yet ready for transitional kindergarten, would remove an important pipeline for early identification and support.
Parents, teachers and early‑childhood educators urged the Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Education to reverse or limit plans to close the district’s Preschool Connection program, telling trustees the program provides an affordable, developmentally appropriate bridge into TK and early services many families cannot access privately.
"The Preschool Connection has been serving this community for over 30 years," Julie Spector, a preschool teacher and longtime program instructor, told the board. "It provides an affordable and meaningful bridge between the home and the public school system. By keeping at least two of these classes open, we can support children who need it most and better prepare them for TK and kindergarten."
Speakers described the program as parent‑paid and flexible — offering part‑week options that are developmentally appropriate for toddlers — and said it plays a role in early identification of speech, sensory and other needs. Parents and teachers warned that moving younger children directly into larger TK classrooms could miss a critical window for screening and intervention.
Several commenters also noted district budget pressures and acknowledged funding limitations, but asked the board to explore options with the city or to help the school community raise funds to preserve classes where feasible.
Trustees heard similar concerns from other speakers during public comment and later during staff and association reports, including questions about how proposed cuts align with the district’s child‑find responsibilities and whether alternative funding or phased changes could reduce harm to the youngest learners.
The board did not take new action on the preschool program at the meeting; public speakers asked for status updates and pledged further engagement with staff and trustees.
