Dear Parents,
In January 2008, the Utah State Office of Education sent information to school districts regarding the operation of preschools by Utah Public Schol Districts. In this document, it indicated that, due to state constitution issues, it is illegal for a schol district to offer an educational program, including preschool an charge tuition for enrollment. This information was of great concern to the district since we recognize the contribution a good preschool experience has in the preparation of children for kindergarten and their future success in school. In response to the correspondence, the district administration spoke with the attorney at the State Office of Education to determine what options we may have to continue the operation of our preschool. Unfortunately, we found the law to be fairly clear. We believed the only option that was available was to close the Community Preschool Program and work with Head Start to offer a tuition-based program to a small group of our current patrons since the district does not have the funds available to offer a tuition free preschool program.
On Tuesday, April 22nd, due to the response from our current preschool staff and parents, we once again contacted the attorneys from the Utah State Office of Education. During our conversation, we learned that we may have a viable option to offer a tuition-based program due to the federal requirement for inclusive programs for students who attend our Developmental Preschool (special education).
We are aware that this situation created a number of questions and concerns for many of you. We would like to invite you to a parent meeting on Tuesday, April 29th, at 7:00 p.m. We will meet at the Murray High, room to be determined.
Sincerely,
Steven K. Hirase, Ed.D.
Asst. superintendent
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