FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 19, 2012

Access to Pre-Kindergarten Education
Broadened by Assembly Busing Bill


Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther today announced passage of legislation that would authorize school districts to provide busing to students attending district-sponsored or district-run pre-kindergarten programs.

"Early childhood education provides an important educational foundation for our children," said Silver. "Especially in rural areas, transportation can be a barrier to early education and I am pleased to see passage of legislation that seeks to reduce that barrier."

"This bill will help school districts provide equal access to universal pre-kindergarten education for all children," said Gunther. "I applaud this measure for expanding access and giving more of New York's children a leg up on the ladder to educational success."

The measure (A.10397-A/Gunther) would allow school districts to provide busing for pre-kindergarten students provided it meets the following requirements:

Some school districts enrolled in the universal pre-kindergarten program may already provide transportation to their students.