Biden pitches free preschool and community college
New York could pay half the cost of president s plan
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Pre schoolers at Harmony Kids, a daycare and preschool at 1 South Pearl Street Wednesday March 5, 2014, in Albany, NY. (John Carl D Annibale / Times Union)John Carl D Annibale/Albany Times Union
WASHINGTON President Joe Biden plans to create a universal pre-kindergarten program that’s free for all 3- and 4-year-olds. He also has proposed offering free community college for anyone who wants it.
The group that won’t participate for free is states. Biden’s plan to pay for these programs requires some state governments to shoulder roughly half the costs for their residents.
WAMC s Ian Pickus talks with SUNY Chancellor James Malatras
Speaking with public radio in Albany Thursday, Malatras admitted there were some early issues managing COVID this fall, but he worked with faculty and students to come up with uniform standards to better manage cases of the virus. I know Thanksgiving, for instance, was really tough for many students, Malatras said. I mean, some of our students didn t go home, right. They were on campus because they either contracted the virus and they had no place to go or given the economic issues out there right now, without a dormitory, a roof over their head, they really wouldn t have a place to live. So we try to get back by doing meals and things for them.