The city is prepared to have 29,000 new full time pre-K seats ready for the next school year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday. All that's needed is funding, he added. The Department of Education has received proposals from 650 sites at community-based organizations, making up about 20,000 potential seats, and 280 public schools submitted applications for the additional 9,000 seats, officials said. Meanwhile, Harold Levy, the former schools chancellor, came out in support of de Blasio's pre-K plan. And Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said the proposal isn't off the table in budget negotiations. The mayor also responded to reports that many current pre-K centers repeatedly violated health and safety laws. He called for closer oversight of the programs and additional funding for more health inspectors.
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