One-time infusion of state funding a reprieve for New London's early childhood center

New London ― State and local school officials on Tuesday celebrated the recent award of $2 million in state-supplied federal pandemic relief money that will keep the school district’s early childhood center running for another year.

But the congratulatory speeches outside the Early Childhood Center at B.P. Mission also included references to the long-term challenges of keeping the popular pre-Kindergarten and family resource center open.

“We dodged a bullet this year,” Board of Education President Elaine Maynard-Adams said at the Shaw Street facility. “Our goal going forward needs to be getting out of this five-alarm fire funding situation.”

State legislators in May approved using $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID-19 relief funding to prop-up the center for the upcoming school year.

The center, which is expected to serve 90 pre-K students ages 3 and 4 this year ― with a wait list of 80 families ― requires $2.5 million a year to run and staff. Maynard-Adams acknowledged the district budget isn’t adequate to cover such annual costs without deep cuts to other areas of the spending plan.

“We were in danger of shutting down, as we could not afford to shift enough money from our budget,” Maynard-Adams said. “So, we solved the problem ― for now. And next we need to turn our attention to fighting to find permanent funding with the support of our state leaders.”

Several of those leaders, including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye, praised the tenacity of the city’s state delegation ― including state Sen. Martha Marx, D-New London and state Reps. Anthony Nolan, D-New London and Christine Conley, D-Groton, along with the city Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein ― in pushing for the recent ARPA windfall.

Bysiewicz, who called the center a “shining and innovative example” of both early childhood education and family support, praised its role as a community hub and supplier of crucial wrap-around community services.

“We’d love to replicate what B.P. does all across the state,” Bysiewicz said. “Our job is to find those systemic dollars to support (the center.)”

Bysiewicz, who praised the award of the “one-year bridge” ARPA funding, said there are more funds available to continue running the center and urged local officials to apply for them.

Marx, who spearheaded the statehouse push for the one-time package of ARPA funding, said she and her colleagues are cognizant of that money’s expiration date.

Marx reminded guests the “first thing” the city and district did with their shares of pandemic relief money was to purchase the building now housing the early childhood center.

“And now the challenge is future funding and making sure the doors stay open,” Marx said.

The preschool program for the last several years has been largely funded with federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, or ESSER, money. But that federal pandemic relief money expires this year, leaving the school district responsible for covering the bills.

Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie and Maynard-Adams said they plan to explore alternate funding streams in the coming months, including vouchers and grants.

Maynard-Adams noted the facility’s new designation as a magnet school could mean additional income based on the number of out-district students the center can attract.

“That’s a possible $350,000 to $385,000 more a year,” she said.

j.penney@theday.com