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Mayoral Candidate Tyer Calls For Early Education Program Expansions
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff
02:02AM / Wednesday, August 12, 2015
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Mayoral candidate Linda Tyer held a press conference Tuesday to discuss her plans to create a 'hybrid' model for early education.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayoral candidate Linda Tyer is calling for the creation of a new model to provide preschool programming.
 
The candidate held a press conference at her East Street headquarters on Tuesday to discuss her plans to service the nearly 900 pupils who are not enrolled in early education programs. She said she wants to expand the capacity of care providers both in the private sector and in the public schools.
 
"In Pittsfield, we have about 58 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds who are not currently enrolled in some sort of a structured, early education care program," Tyer said. "Lots of kids are being left behind."
 
The city has 1,544 pupils between the ages of 3 and 5. Just short of 900 of those are not enrolled. In 2013, 671 pupils were unable to enroll in programs because of waiting lists. The city provides just two preschool programs and an array of private preschools and organizations run programs. The programs are typically designed to earn enough income to cover the costs.
 
"My goal is to bring together all of these stakeholders to come up with an initiative that will be a public/private hybrid between our cities public education and the private providers who are currently out in the community," Tyer said. "My goal is to bring together this group and to have a robust discussion about how we expand access for those 3- and 4-year-olds who are not in a program."
 
The cost to educating nearly 1,000 more pre-schoolers could be significant — particularly considering that more than half of city students qualify for free and reduced lunch based on family income, so many families can't afford the tuition for the programs. Tyer said she is committed to using some city funds provided a structure of early education is created that serves the needs of all students.
 
"We have kids who are eligible for vouchers for private preschool. We have families with enough income to pay in full for private education and care. It is that middle group. I would want to talk to the professionals who are doing the work right now on how to structure it where maybe we use income eligibility for a sliding scale," Tyer said. "The organizations, in their expansion, will have to be flexible as well."
 
In determining a "hybrid" model with the private and public sector, Tyer is hoping to keep the costs down on the residents while still expanding access. She said the city can help with other ways to help the private preschool programs expand — either by finding space to expand or providing professional development to the teachers. She is also hoping to advocate for a state bill to increase funding to create universal preschool programs and help support the Pittsfield Promise.
 
What she won't do is nothing.
 
"One of the most important responsibilities is public education and one of the areas where I believe we can make an impactful contribution is finding ways to expand for 3- and 4-year-olds access to early education and care," Tyer said. 
 
She said the city's current programs, which are integrated models balancing the class evenly with students who need special education and those who don't, will not only continue but also could be expanded to other elementary schools. 
 
"I think we should hold onto those and possibly expand those. The integrated preschool program is what is right for public school education," Tyer said.
 
Superintendent Jason McCandless has supported early education programs but with recent budget crunches, the school administration has focused its resources on the K-12 age group. In budget sessions, McCandless said the process is based on serving that age group because that is the primary focus of the department. Even with a $2 million increase to the budget, the department cut or changed a number of programs that didn't directly affect the K-12 education. 
 
"He wants to commit resources to their core mission, which is education K through 12. I understand and appreciate that. However, I feel really strongly that this community has got to come up with some methods for providing opportunities for 3- and 4-year-olds," Tyer said.
 
The candidate says early education makes a tremendous impact on the city. She said pupils who go through early education programs tend to do better at the higher levels both educationally and socially. The education becomes the basis for the child's entire education career.
 
"My commitment is to make this a top priority," Tyer said. "They will be ready to learn in kindergarten."
 
The current city clerk is challenging incumbent Daniel Bianchi and residents Donna Walto and Craig Gaetani for the corner office.
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