Bronx, N.Y. – After learning that the Department of Education (DOE) had denied Riverdale Nursery School’s application for a Universal Pre-K Program (UPK), Bronx elected officials got to work.

According to its director, Susan Smelin, the Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center is one of the few area schools that was established specifically as an integrated, inclusive mainstream nursery school that could offer quality education to both typically developing children and children with special needs. While other schools offer services to children with special needs, none can claim to be as inclusive, creating an environment where children with special needs work in a learning environment alongside their typically developing peers.

Having been denied a DOE grant for UPK, the Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center was in danger of losing students to nearby schools that were granted UPK as a result of economic constraints on parents, and Riverdale was in danger of losing one of its most lauded and well established Pre-School programs.

State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, State Senator Jeff Klein, and Council Member Andrew Cohen successfully petitioned the DOE to reverse their original decision arguing for Riverdale Nursery’s preeminence as a school that prioritized integrated and inclusive learning for all, and its value to the community as one of the only schools that offered such a learning environment in that regard, not to mention its fantastic record and widespread popularity among parents.

Now, with UPK, Riverdale Nursery School can continue to offer quality education to children.

“I’m thrilled that the city stepped up and provided adequate resources to enable The Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center to remain open. By enrolling the cherished institution into the city’s Pre-K For All program, both children, including ones with special needs, will continue to receive the education they deserve and need to excel throughout their childhood. I fought hard in Albany to ensure that all 4-year-olds would receive free universal pre-K and I'm proud that the private nursery school can now offer a free integrated education for certain students who otherwise may not have been able to afford it,” said State Senator Jeff Klein.

“I am happy that the Department of Education has reversed its decision and will now be funding the Riverdale Nursery School. The school has been providing quality education in the neighborhood for 10 years, serving significant numbers of students with special needs who would otherwise have few options,” said Council Member Cohen. “The city is making the right choice to continue including this unique school in the Universal Pre-K program.”

“Riverdale Nursery School has not only provided great education for our children, it has been a pivotal element in our community by providing a variety of educational services including their integrated preschool programs. It’s variety and inclusiveness has created a highly regarded institution, a fact I can attest to by the number of parents who have expressed prolific support and admiration for the school, its administrators and its teachers. I’m glad that I was able to partner with Senator Klein and Council Member Cohen to ensure this school continues to thrive and serve our children,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.