After nearly five months since New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the City’s half-day Universal Pre-K (UPK) program, OU Advocacy-Teach NYS, the nonpartisan public policy arm of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, has expressed its disappointment in the continued delay from City Hall regarding this key program for the city’s Jewish day school and yeshiva community.
The half-day UPK program has historically been a viable option for New York City’s Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Many schools have contracts that are expiring at the end of this school year, however, and will not be able to continue to participate in the half-day program without the RFP.
Mayor de Blasio promised in early December 2014 and again in February that an RFP for the half-day program would be released. Despite the end of the school year looming, no information has been presented by the mayor’s office, leaving those schools reliant on this program—and the parents—with nothing.
“We are disappointed that the Mayor would treat this program, as well as the students and parents, in such a cavalier manner. We call on the administration to release the long-promised RFP for the half-day UPK program so that schools that rely on this program can begin to prepare for next year,” said Maury Litwack, Director of State Political Affairs for the Orthodox Union.
Read more on the OU Advocacy website.