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UFT members who work in 3-K and pre-K have reported several categories of issues that need to be addressed in our early childhood programs. The primary areas of concern are curriculum, learning environment, food safety and enrollment logistics. We recommend that UFT members organize to address the following issues so that all children can #StartStrong.

Curriculum

Our members have identified many issues with the city’s 3-K and pre-K Creative Curriculum program. We will push for four major improvements, among others, from the DOE:

  • Purchase the full curriculum: The DOE has purchased only eight of the 22 units in the Creative Curriculum program. This makes it very difficult to plan and differentiate units for both 3-K and pre-K. Having the full curriculum will help teachers serve students better at different stages of learning.
  • Provide supplemental libraries with developmentally-appropriate books: The books provided with Creative Curriculum are not developmentally appropriate for our early learners and lack cultural representation. Teachers are paying out of their own pockets for supplemental texts to help their students. The DOE should be providing these libraries.
  • Provide connected learning materials: Early education requires hands-on materials connected to the curriculum to help children make meaning from what is being taught. None of the additional materials to make the curriculum come alive were purchased for the schools — another expense coming out of teachers’ pockets. The DOE has set money aside for these materials, but the money is tied to ShopDOE and does not give the teachers access to the correct items needed to support learning.
  • Allow teacher autonomy and flexibility in planning and structuring lessons: Teachers are often held to rigid pacing in the curriculum, but they have found the curriculum is not structured in a way that is developmentally appropriate for young learners. As professionals who know their students best, teachers should not be micromanaged. They must be able to plan lessons and units in a way that will address the abilities and needs of their students.

Learning Environment

All students and staff deserve a safe and supportive learning and working environment that is set up in a way to best address the needs of the children. We will push the DOE to do the following: 

  • Provide and follow consistent nap guidelines:  The timing of naps should be consistent and supportive of the needs of the students. State guidelines of who is allowed to supervise naps should be followed consistently as well.
  • Allow autonomy in the classroom environment: Teachers, as professionals and experts in the needs of their students, must be allowed to set up their classrooms in ways that will support children’s needs and development. Micromanagement and cookie-cutter classrooms disrupt the ability of teachers to differentiate for the needs of their students.

Food Safety

Food safety is critical to the well-being of early childhood students. Our members are advocating that the DOE follow best practices for health and safety:

  • Follow food safety and handling guidance: The DOE must ensure that the guidelines, such as cutting food into small bites for young children and handling and delivering food safely, are followed. Paraprofessionals and teachers in the classroom should not have to assume these responsibilities.

Enrollment Logistics

There is still work to be done on the availability of seats in the early childhood setting and the streamlining of the enrollment process.

  • Create flexibility in allocation of early childhood seats: The availability of 3-K and pre-K seats must be responsive to the needs of communities. 3-K and pre-K seats should be made available where families with young children are on waitlists.
  • Increase marketing to communities: To ensure that vacant 3-K and pre-K seats are filled, parents need to know where seats are available.
  • Ensure enough 3-K and pre-K seats for students with disabilities: We have to ensure that our students with disabilities have a seat and receive the special education services they need.
  • Make improvements to the DOE’s 3-K and pre-K enrollment process: Key changes can make the process easier and more efficient for families to enroll their children.