Dozens of parents, preschool operators and teachers urged the Cornwall Central School District Board of Education on April 7 to expand universal prekindergarten (UPK) offerings and to change how the district places twins and pays outside UPK providers.

The comments, delivered during the meeting’s public comment period, pressed the board to add seats beyond the 10 under consideration and asked for clearer, earlier disclosure of provider costs and placement policies so families can rank choices with full information.

Advocates said UPK supports school readiness, reduces later remediation costs and is an equity issue for families who cannot afford private preschool. “We really wanna prioritize our children first,” said Cynthia Fasillo, an UPK advocate, asking the board to commit to a minimum of 20 seats and noting some parents want 40 to move toward a truly universal program.

Several speakers raised separate, specific requests. Suzanne Kirschner, a Cornwall resident and parent, asked the board to change its twin‑placement practice so twins are not separated by lottery “unless parents and/or guardians determine that it is in the best interest for their children.” Ivy League Preschool owner Amy McGovern urged the district to adopt a flat per‑student UPK payment to outside providers; she said that would either increase seats or reduce the district’s tax contribution. “We just need to demand better for our children,” McGovern said.

Teachers and special‑education staff warned of service gaps if providers are not approved or seats are not timely filled. “Without UPK, those kids are gonna be left behind,” said Maria Cavillion, who works in early intervention.

Superintendent Terry Dade acknowledged the public concern and told the board UPK will be part of the budget discussion. Dade also described how the district runs the UPK lottery and registration: the district continues to contact families on the wait list through the summer and is most confident about final seat counts in October after families make fall choices. He cautioned that late declines and families moving in or out of the district can change how many seats are ultimately filled.

Board members asked administration to report back with provider willingness to accept smaller class sizes or pro‑rated payments if fewer seats are used. Some members said they wanted assurance the district would not pay for empty seats; others argued the extra seats are a small line‑item relative to the total budget and carry long‑term benefits.

Next steps: the board agreed to include UPK on the budget agenda for the April 24 adoption meeting and to seek clearer information from providers about flat‑rate options, fill projections and whether providers will accept fewer guaranteed seats without charging for unused slots.