District buys more pre-kindergarten places for next year

What happened

On May 20, 2026 the board awarded its universal pre-kindergarten programme for 2026-27 to Healthy Kids Programs in two parts: $583,200 for the programme itself and a further $194,000 for two additional classrooms. Together that is $777,200. The district's budget newsletter lists 'expanding early learning opportunities by increasing access to the Pre-Kindergarten program' as one of four things the 2026-27 budget pays for.

Why it matters to families

Universal pre-kindergarten is free, state-funded early schooling, and the number of classrooms is what decides how many four-year-olds get a place. Two extra classrooms means more Chappaqua families get in. Places are still allocated by lottery rather than by which school a family is zoned for, so a place is not guaranteed and is not tied to a neighbourhood school.

The evidence

The approved May 20, 2026 minutes record item 5.8, awarding RFP #2026-03 for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program to Healthy Kids Programs for 2026-27 at $583,200.00, and item 5.9, awarding RFP #2026-04 for two additional classrooms to the same provider at $194,000.00. The 2026-27 budget newsletter lists expanding access to pre-kindergarten among the budget highlights. In the January 14, 2026 budget preview recording the administration discussed adding classrooms and said places remain subject to a lottery rather than zoning; that detail is from auto-generated captions.

The source