When we returned to Boston a year and a half ago, my son got a slot at the West Zone Early Learning Center in Jamaica Plain midway through his K2 year last year. He’s now a first grader there, and we are thrilled with the school and with the extended learning time he gets while he’s there. In particular, his reading ability has improved dramatically.
But this year the school took a mighty blow, losing one quarter of its operating budget of $2 million for next year. Crucial staffing positions that contribute to strong reading and math skills, including the reading recovery teacher and several paraprofessional positions, have been cut.
It’s my understanding that there are thousands of young learners on the waitlist for quality early childhood education slots in the city. It appears to me that we are further away from that vision than ever.
Andrew Iliff
Jamaica Plain resident