St. Paul public schools to expand pre-K at 3 buildings

St. Paul Public School (SPPS) and the Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties Head Start program are partnering to expand Pre-K at three St. Paul public schools starting this fall.

Four classrooms are set to be designated as Pre-K classrooms at Eastern Heights, EXPO, and Highwood Hills elementary schools.

The collaboration comes as a mixed-delivery model with resources and students from SPPS and Head Start, according to a press release from SPPS. The district currently has over 600 families on a Pre-K waitlist across the district, while Head Start has over 500 preschool children on their waitlist.

“We are ready to welcome families into Saint Paul Public Schools with open arms. Early education is essential not only for young learners and their families but also for stabilizing enrollment in Saint Paul Public Schools,” said SPPS Superintendent Joe Gothard. “Families who enter SPPS in Pre-K are more likely to stay. That continuity of their educational journey is key to unlocking students’ full potential and academic success.”

The SPPS release said the newly designated classrooms will provide 160 additional seats for students, increasing the district’s Pre-K capacity by over 10%.

The collaboration is also working with the Nature Discovery Pre-K program at St. Anthony Park Elementary School.

For more information on how to enroll, visit the Head Start website.