Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Early Childhood Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
UPK representatives ask board to address lottery gaps, twins and expand provider options
Summary
UPK representatives told the board the district cleared the initial waitlist, urged outreach to families who declined offers, flagged twins and multiples as underserved by the lottery, requested a parent/provider/district committee and asked the board to consider rolling approvals to expand seats toward 137 funded by the state.
Representatives for UPK in Cornwall said the district had placed initial families from the lottery but encouraged the district to work to reach families who declined placements and to address structural gaps that leave twins and multiples underserved.
Kristen Chitaitis said the lottery had allowed the district to clear its wait list but that some families declined placements; she suggested the district follow up to understand barriers to participation and to explore adding another provider next year. Chitaitis, a self‑identified UPK representative, said families with twins and multiples are often disadvantaged by the current lottery structure and urged the district to study ways to improve access.
Dr. Kate Esmezar, who identified herself as representing UPK for Cornwall, proposed forming a committee that includes district staff, parents and a provider representative to develop recommendations. She also asked the board to consider rolling approvals so that, if the district can expand beyond the current 118 seats, it could accept additional placements up to 137 seats supported by state funding.
District administration later clarified UPK logistics: staff said the initial lottery placements were completed, four new application packets had arrived since the deadline and one of those resulted in an additional placement (leaving an active wait list of three), while eight families remained on a secondary provider‑preference list. Administration emphasized that UPK placements can shift as families move, request provider preferences or are found eligible for additional services.
The presenters offered to provide written points by email and requested a follow-up response at a future meeting.
