Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Preschool Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ISD outlines countywide early-childhood services, says 22 preschool classrooms operate in district
Summary
Monroe County ISD staff told the board the county has multiple early-childhood programs and that Monroe Public Schools currently hosts 22 publicly funded preschool classrooms; ISD staff described birth-to-3 home visiting, Head Start and GSRP eligibility and outreach work.
Katie Borbina, early childhood director at the Monroe County ISD, told the board the ISD plays a countywide coordinating role for early childhood services and provides curriculum, coaching and a single point of entry for families seeking services.
"I'm Katie Borbina. I'm early childhood director with Monroe County ISD," she said as she opened the presentation. Borbina said that countywide there are Head Start, GSRP and ECSE program options and that Monroe Public Schools currently houses 22 publicly funded preschool classrooms. She added the ISD processes more than 1,000 referrals per year and conducts home visiting for many birth-to-3 families.
Head Start director Nicole Van Dale reviewed eligibility rules and services, saying Head Start is federally funded and offers comprehensive family services and some center-based slots for 3-year-olds. The ISD reported about 180 GSRP-funded children this year with Monroe Public ZIP codes and estimated roughly 609 countywide 4-year-olds remain unserved by free preschool based on census comparisons.
Board members used the slides to probe logistics—transportation coverage, bathroom fixtures for younger children, and whether preschool enrollment will sustainably increase district kindergarten numbers. ISD staff said some preschool classrooms are run by the ISD inside district facilities while others are at community childcare centers under the county grant.
