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District to relocate preschool into elementary schools; superintendent says district-run childcare model is unsustainable
Summary
Superintendent Scott told the board the district will relocate Greyhound preschool programs back into elementary buildings next year for cost savings and that the district-run childcare program at the Course building is financially unsustainable. Staff will reassign preschool teachers and work with affected families; the board was told the district was not eligible for a $300,000 early-childhood grant cited by a public commenter.
The Burlington Community School District announced on April 13 that Greyhound preschool programs will move from the Course building back into district elementary schools for the 2026–27 school year, and that the district-run childcare model operating at Course is not financially sustainable.
During public comment, resident Jesselle Williamson asked why the district had closed the Course early childhood center and said she could not find applications for an "early childhood continuum of care" grant (a program she described with a $300,000 maximum award). Superintendent Scott told the board the district had investigated grant options but was not eligible for that specific $300,000 grant and that staff continually seek funding when available.
Scott said district leaders are working on staff reassignments: the district has roughly nine to ten preschool teachers who will be reassigned back to elementary buildings, and those teachers will continue the preschool program in their new locations. He said the childcare program served about 27 children over recent months, with roughly 15 continuing users at the time of the meeting; six to seven of those children were children of district staff. Scott said district officials had pursued grants and state contacts but were unable to make the current childcare model sustainable without significantly raising costs to families.
The superintendent said the Course building will continue to be used for Head Start and other district programs under lease and that the district will make individual staff notifications and offer placement within district positions; the board will share a press release and continue communication with families and staff.
What happened at the meeting: the board received public comment, heard the superintendent's explanation and approved routine consent items; the childcare and preschool relocation decision was presented as an operational and financial adjustment rather than a program elimination.
Next steps: staff will finalize teacher reassignments (the superintendent said this work should occur within approximately the next two weeks) and the district will provide further communications to families and the public.
