The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced Thursday that 30 school districts, in partnership with community-based preschool programs, are receiving $20.3 million in Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) grants to support their continued efforts to expand access to high-quality affordable preschool.
One of those districts is Lowell, which is slated to receive $1-million toward continued implementation and maintaining of existing programs.
“Moving towards providing access to free public preschool for all 4-year-olds in the city is a priority for Lowell Public Schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Liam Skinner. “In recent years, significant gains have been made toward that goal through partnerships with community education providers including Community Teamwork and Lowell Day Nursery. We are very grateful the Healy-Driscoll administration shares our commitment to increasing the accessibility to quality public preschool. It has been shown that students who attend preschool perform better in reading and math, are less likely to require special education services, and have higher high school graduation and college attendance rates.”
Universal access to preschool is a core part of Governor Maura Healey’s ‘Gateway to Pre-k’ agenda to make early education and child care more affordable and accessible for all families across Massachusetts. The goal is for children to have access across all cities and towns, starting with Gateway Cities and rural communities.
Massachusetts’ Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes funding to maintain the state’s expanded universal access to high-quality preschool from fiscal year 2024, supporting 203 preschool classrooms that represents 2,981 seats for children across public schools, family child care, YMCAs, Head Start, and other community-based preschool programs.
“Our administration delivered historic investments in early education and child care in our first two budgets, and I’m thrilled to see that funding at work. This funding is providing access to high-quality affordable preschool, lowering costs for families and helping parents stay in or return to the workforce,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We are grateful to the Legislature for their partnership in this year’s budget. Our administration is committed to building on these successes and working toward expanding access to child care in more communities, making it more affordable, and ensuring our hardworking providers have the support they need to deliver high-quality care.”
“As a former Mayor, I know how important access to high-quality preschool is for children, families, businesses and communities,” added Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This funding is going to local school districts and community-based early education and care programs, highlighting our commitment to supporting cities and towns from Pittsfield to Cape Cod in meeting the needs of their residents and making Massachusetts a more affordable and equitable place to live, learn, work and play.”
The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) currently administers CPPI, which establishes a district–wide preschool program across classes in public and community-based early education and care programs, leveling the playing field for kindergarten readiness. Through CPPI funding, participating families can enroll in a preschool classroom at no or low cost. Funding may also be used to provide full day/full year services to families who need it. CPPI further helps communities coordinate, intentionally align, and strengthen curriculum, policies, assessments, professional development and job-embedded supports for educators across settings. This grant program additionally promotes equitable access to special education to ensure full inclusion of children with disabilities across all settings.
Grantees either received funding to continue their planning or implementation of a plan towards achieving universally accessible high-quality preschool. The planning grants support districts in building partnerships with local community-based early education and care programs, developing a leadership team, conducting a needs assessment, and drafting a strategic plan.
