(Photo courtesy of the New York State Senate)
The Farmingdale Union Free School District has been awarded a $360,000 Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Expansion Grant from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to increase prekindergarten availability for four-year-old students. The department awarded these competitive grants based on a district’s plan to serve a community’s highest need schools and students, the level of existing prekindergarten services, and the extent to which a district planned to maximize the total number of eligible four-year-old children served in its programs, among other factors. These funds may be used during the 2021-22 or 2022-23 school years.
Senator Kevin Thomas, who supported the district’s application for the grant, said, “Universal Pre-K is a proven strategy for putting children on a path to success in school and beyond. This UPK Expansion Grant will give more Farmingdale students the opportunity to access high-quality pre-kindergarten programs that will provide the foundation to help them thrive in school.”
Visit www.NYSED.gov to view the list of school districts across New York State who will be receiving the grants.
—Submitted by the office of Senator Kevin Thomas
