Did you know that the City of New York is seeking 1,000 talented early childhood educators by fall 2014 to lead high quality pre-K classrooms in public school and community-based early childhood centers across the City?
Currently, the New York City Department of Education offers full-day and half-day pre-kindergarten options in public schools and community-based organizations across the City. Pre-K programs in New York City base their curriculum on New York State's Pre-Kindergarten Foundation for the Common Core which is aligned to the kindergarten to grade 12 learning standard.
Mayor de Blasio: "We can change the lives of tens of thousands of children in a matter of months."
Why Universal Pre-K (UPK)? There is a broad consensus in New York that high-quality, full-day pre-K helps children succeed in school and in life. Research shows that pre-K reduces income inequality and increases social mobility and long-term educational gains for children. More than 70,000 families are likely to need a full-day pre-K option for their four-year-olds, but only 20,000 currently receive full-day pre-K. Every student in New York City deserves an opportunity to have the foundation of skills, knowledge, and approaches to learning needed to be ready for school and ultimately, college and careers. Where You Might Teach?Efforts to expand pre-K are expected to open up opportunities to teach in two different settings:
New York City public schools – Pre-K programs are offered at more than 750 district public elementary schools across the City. These classes are fully integrated into their school community and operate similarly to other grades in the building. Pre-K teachers in the public schools must have New York State teaching certification in early childhood and are employees of the City of New York/ Department of Education (DOE). Learn more about what it means to teach in New York City public schools. Community-based early childhood centers (CBECCs) – CBECCs are independent organizations that contract with New York City to provide free pre-k programs to four-year olds. The over 800 sites offer diverse options for families across all five boroughs. CBECCs may range in size from having a single pre-K class to many classes across multiple sites. Each CBECC employs its own teachers (they are not employees of the City of New York) but interested teachers applying through the DOE have the opportunity to make their information available to all hiring CBECCs. Pre-K teachers at CBECCs must have their State early childhood teaching certification within three years. Those who start teaching pre-K without a certification will need to have an education plan to meet that requirement. In support of the City’s goal of ensuring all children in pre-K classrooms have early childhood certified, high quality teachers, the DOE will provide consultation and support for individuals working towards certification in collaboration with outside partners.You can learn more about this teaching opportunity from the New York City Department of Education.