RISD trustees received an update on the district’s pre-K programming, which includes better learning outcomes for students and more classrooms, during the Sept. 19 meeting.
Two-minute impact
Full-day pre-K programs are currently available at 34 campuses in the district that serve nearly 1,900 students, said Katy Phinney, RISD director of early childhood services. There are 108 pre-K classrooms—27 pre-K three and 81 pre-K four—within the district, according to meeting documents, which include both English and bilingual instruction.
“We are committed to continuing to expand those offerings [for pre-K three] annually because the demand has remained high,” Phinney said.
Within the district, certain families can qualify for free full-day pre-K programs if they meet certain qualifications, such as needing free lunch. Phinney said RISD employees and families that want full-day pre-K can opt to pay tuition for the program.
Why it matters
According to information published by the district, having high-quality pre-K programs allows students to develop early literacy and numeracy skills, which translate to future academic success. Phinney said by 2028 the district has a goal of having 98% performing as "on track" for early literacy and numeracy, which will be tracked by the Circle learning evaluation tool.
Per district data, emergent bilingual and economically disadvantaged students enrolled in RISD pre-K programs are more prepared and have more success in kindergarten compared to those who are not.
Phinney said district staff prioritize acclimating pre-K students to school and preparing them for future learning and adjusting to being away from their parents for large portions of the day.
What’s next?
RISD plans to continue expanding its pre-K offerings, Phinney said, and only has three campuses without pre-K classrooms. Superintendent Tabitha Branum said those campuses have space constraints, but added that the district’s middle school transition should open up more pre-K classrooms going forward.
