NEW SCOTLAND — The Voorheesville Central School District announced today that it will not be able to offer a pre-kindergarten program for the 2025-26 school year.

The district in an email to parents said it “could not secure an affordable community-based provider during the required bidding process.”

Voorheesville’s current pre-K provider, Christ the King Early Childhood Center, “is undergoing a restructuring process and has declined to submit a bid to continue UPK services for the coming year.”

The state in recent years has provided funds to school districts with the goal of making pre-kindergarten programs universal. Since Voorheesville does not have the space or staff to host its own pre-kindergarten classes, the district had paid Christ the King to school Voorheesville 4-year-olds.

The email to parents said, “Although the district received one proposal from another UPK provider, their proposed cost per pupil exceeded available state funding,” and that the pre-K program is fully funded by the state. 

The missive went on, “The district remains hopeful that UPK services can be restored in the future if increased state funding becomes available, and plans to invite community UPK providers to submit proposals for the  2026-27 school year.”

The Enterprise in September reported on administrative mismanagement allegations made by Voorheesville parents and former employees of Christ the King education center. 

The allegations included several state-cited violations, which ranged from discipline or toilet training that would “frighten, demean or humiliate a child” to children being left “without competent supervision,” as well as raising other concerns.

The Albany Diocese in response to Enterprise queries said the violations had largely been remedied.