School-Community Partnerships for Universal Pre-Kindergarten: A Five-Year Study

• In Event: Roundtable Session 17
  In Roundtable Session: Starting at the Beginning: Early Childhood and Family Engagement Practices

Abstract

This study examines the partnering resulting from a policy mandate in New York State (NYS) motivated by state grants to provide Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK). Baseline and five-year follow up data from five sites across NYS participating in UPK are presented. Quantitative and qualitative data shed light on the partnering activities of five school districts, and the decision making process to partner (or not) with community organizations. This paper addresses the following research questions: (1) How have UPK partnering (or non-partnering) activities changed between 2008 and 2013; (2) How have these activities affected the provision of early care and education services in the community; and (3) How have these activities affected CBOs in the community?

Authors

• Hope G. Casto, Skidmore College

• John W. Sipple, Cornell University

• Lisa McCabe, Cornell University