CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN DELIVERS FUNDING FOR NEW EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR POUGHKEEPSIE SCHOOLS

Congressman Pat Ryan Delivers Funding for New Early Education Programs for Poughkeepsie City Schools

Ryan secured $2.5 million for five years of funding for the Poughkeepsie City School District’s Community Schools Initiative

WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan secured $2.5 million for the Poughkeepsie City School District to implement multiple new programs to bolster its early education programs across the five elementary schools served by the district. The PCSD Community Schools Award, which will be paid out over 5 years, includes funding for a range of evidence-based whole-child and community-wide supports including, high-dosage tutoring, after school and weekend enrichment, early childhood family education and targeted interventions addressing chronic absenteeism and violence prevention.

“Delivering for Hudson Valley schools is a direct investment in our children and our communities' future,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’m proud that these funds will enrich the lives of Poughkeepsie’s students, uplifting our entire community. I will keep fighting to get our kids, schools, and teachers the resources they deserve.”   

“I want to thank Congressman Ryan for his continuous efforts in helping the City of Poughkeepsie find the resources we need to help improve our city,” said City of Poughkeepsie 5th Ward Common Councilwoman and Mayor-Elect Yvonne Flowers. “The Federal grant awarded to our school district will help provide the educational support services our children need to help achieve academic excellence.

"The Poughkeepsie City School District is grateful to be one of 30 recipients of the U.S. Department of Education Full Service Community Schools grant funding. The funding will help expand on our school, home, and community approach to addressing the academic, social, emotional, and wellness needs of our students,” said Dr. Eric Jay Rosser, Superintendent of Schools. “This is a major signal that our work is relevant on the national stage." 

“As the inaugural Executive Director of the PCSD Community Schools Department, I am grateful to the US Department of Education, Congressman Ryan and our countless contributors that made this historic investment possible,” said Natasha Brown, Executive Director of Community Schools. “Over the last three years, we have worked hard to develop our district's Community Schools model and believe this is a major turning point in ensuring our children succeed in school and life from cradle-to-career.”

"The Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet is thrilled with the announcement of this groundbreaking federal investment after working closely with the Poughkeepsie City School District (PCSD) Community Schools Department to develop this proposal with leading local and national partners,” said Rob Watson, Jr., Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet Board Chair and Deputy Director of the Harvard EdRedesign Lab. “We are grateful to be working with PCSD leadership and the broader community to reimagine the City of Poughkeepsie as a place that puts its youth and families first.” 

The new programming that Poughkeepsie City School District will implement with the grant money include City Connects that will provide individualized support plans for every student, EveryDay Labs to combat chronic absenteeism, and an after-school enrichment program for PreK through Kindergarten aged children. Current programming will also be expanded with the grant, including the district’s Early Learning Corps that provides tutoring for children Pre-K through age five, K-3 Math Corps tutoring, Saturday Morning Lights providing weekend enrichment for students PreK through 12th grade and their families, Poughkeepsie Basics University that provides educations for parents of newborns through the age of three, Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention after-school program, and SNUG that provides community violence prevention programming.

Congressman Ryan has championed funding for youth and early education programs. He has nominated the Boys and Girls Club of Newburgh, the Dutchess County “Youth Opportunity Union,” and Family Services, Inc. in Poughkeepsie for community project funding from the federal government. Congressman Ryan has repeatedly fought against cuts to programs that service young children and families, including voting against 20% cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC for women, infants, and children. Congressman Ryan supports an expanded Child Tax Credit and cosponsors the American Family Act. Congressman Ryan also cosponsors the Mental Health Services for Students Act to support school-based mental health services. Congressman Ryan’s office also distributes books donated by the Library of Congress in Washington, DC to schools and youth programs in NY-18. 

The grant received by the Poughkeepsie City School District is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Full Service Community Schools Program for fiscal year 2023.

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