Our Universal Pre-K is at Risk
64 UPK seats for the 2026-2027 school year are in jeopardy if the Croton Harmon School District does not provide sufficient funding
Key Facts
New York State allocates $5,400 per pupil (and not all of that passes on to the provider), per year to our UPK program in Croton [NYS 2025-2026 UPK Allocations]
Estimates show the true cost of a high quality pre-k education is close to $10,000 per pupil, per year
The Croton Harmon school budget rose by $2.2 million in 2025-2026 to $60,996,050 - and none of that went to UPK [Croton Harmon Budget]
Our community-based pre-k providers can't be expected to continue absorbing this cost, and one has already announced plans to discontinue their program in the next school year without more funding - a loss of 64 seats
Universal Pre-K in New York State is not mandatory - without a backup plan, the UPK program as we know it is at risk
What You Can Do
Make your voice heard - contact key school officials now before next year's budget is finalized in early 2026, and tell them you want UPK in Croton fully funded. Email the Board of Ed - boe@chufsd.org and cc: Superintendent Stephen Walker Stephen.Walker@chufsd.org. You can use this template if you wish.
Attend Board of Ed meetings - check the calendar for Regular Meetings and tell your story
Sign our petition calling on Albany to fully funded UPK throughout New York State
Contact your local state elected officials and ask them to fully fund UPK in Albany's budget
Assemblymember Dana Levenberg - levenbergd@nyassembly.gov
State Senator Pete Harckham - harckham@nysenate.gov
Stay in the Loop
If you want to share your email, I will be sending out reminders for the upcoming Board of Ed meetings, along with action items, next steps, and other updates. Feel free to sign up for reminders and other updates (no spam, no sharing data) using this Google Form. And help spread the word! Our grassroots advocacy campaign to preserve UPK relies on you!
About Me
Hi, I’m Jake Day, a Croton dad and proud member of this community. My family moved here in 2022 and both of my sons (ages 2 and 4) have thrived thanks to our incredible educational opportunities — especially the Croton UPK program, where my oldest son Hudson is growing by leaps and bounds.
When we first moved to Croton, I didn’t even know what pre-k was. I quickly learned how vital early education is for setting children up for success in kindergarten and beyond. Like many of us, I was surprised to learn that there is no guarantee our UPK program will continue and how we need to step up as a community to support our kids.
My youngest son Myles (and many of his friends!) will need a high-quality, pre-k education soon, but this isn’t just about our family, it’s about making sure every child in our community has the same opportunity to start strong.
Together we can keep Croton schools among the best in New York State!
If you’d like to get involved or learn more, I’d love to connect — you can reach me at jacob.day518@gmail.com.
Thanks for checking out my site and learning about this effort.
Additional Resources
Fiscal Policy Institute - Does New York State Have Universal Pre-K?
Croton-Harmon UFSD Budget Comparison: 2024–25 vs. 2025–26