Teacher sacrifices benefits and hours to keep historic Sacramento preschool open
A historic Sacramento preschool slated for closure will stay open thanks to a passionate campaign by members of the school community, a tuition hike and a teacher’s personal sacrifice.
Amanda Chapman, Edward Kelley Preschool’s teacher of a decade, stood before the Sacramento City Unified School District board Thursday night and thanked them for collaborating with her and district personnel to create a plan that would allow the parent participation preschool to stay open.
“Thank you Sac City for putting kids and families first,” she said through tears.
The school, one of the district’s final two parent participation preschools, was identified for closure because of the district’s ongoing fiscal crisis. The district faces a $170 million deficit and possible state receivership.
Edward Kelley and another similar program were losing $228,000 a year, a loss that the district was unable to absorb. However, after Chapman’s campaign, board members and staff collaborated with her to create a plan that would allow the school to keep its doors open at minimal cost to the district.
The board took up Chapman’s previous offer to reduce her hours and forgo her benefits next year. They will also raise tuition from $241 to $500 per month for the five-day program to cover the rest of the costs associated with operating the school.
Director of Adult Education Marla Clayton Johnson thanked the board for helping the school remain open and spoke to the newfound overall health of her department, which funds the two preschools. She said that they have right-sized after years of overspending what was provided by grants.
“Because of this diligence and commitment to becoming fiscally independent, we now have a solid and sustainable plan to minimally rely on contributions from the general fund, or not need a contribution at all,” Johnson said.
Chapman spoke to the future work that will be necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the program.
“We understand that there is still important work ahead of us, including identifying ways to lower costs for families and building a model that supports sustainability,” she said. “Tonight, more than anything, we want to express our appreciation for our community’s advocacy.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 7:32 PM with the headline "Teacher sacrifices benefits and hours to keep historic Sacramento preschool open."
