Photo: Alessandra Hartkopf for Strategies for Children

By guest blogger Titus DosRemedios, Strategies for Children’s Director of Research and Policy

“When will my local community expand preschool?”

This is a question asked by many parents, teachers, elected officials, and other community members. Demand is high, but where is the funding? After all, Massachusetts made a legislative commitment to universal pre-kindergarten back in 2008, 10 years ago.

Now a state grant program will help communities take a small step forward.

Strategies for Children has always advocated for new state funding to increase access to high-quality early education. As we have worked with local communities over the years, we have come to believe that communities that want preschool should first be ready for preschool. And part of that readiness means having a plan, collaborating locally, and advocating.

Thankfully, the state has just made resources available for the first part of that equation.

On January 17, The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) released preschool planning grants for fiscal year 2018. Any community looking to expand its early learning opportunities for young children should apply. 

First some history. Planning grants were funded by the Legislature in the FY2016 state budget as a way to expand upon the state’s federally-funded Preschool Expansion Grant (PEG), which supports only five cities. That first year, the Legislature allocated $500,000 for planning grants. EEC encouraged grantees to create plans for “PEG-like” programs, high-quality, mixed-delivery preschool (schools + community-based programs), customized to fit local needs. Thirteen communities took advantage of this opportunity and created local preschool plans. We’ve featured many of these communities on our blog.

The following year, thanks to more planning grant funding in the state budget, two additional communities joined the ranks, bringing the total number of communities with plans up to 15. (Keep in mind, there are 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts).

This year the Legislature once again funded preschool planning grants, known formally as “Commonwealth Preschool Partnerships Initiative Planning/Sustainability Grant”. EEC expects to fund up to 10 communities. Applications are due by Friday, February 16, 3 p.m. For a copy of the grant Request for Response (RFR), click here.

The RFR explains: “Preference will be given to the following applicants:

• communities currently receiving a PEG Grant through EEC for the 2017-2018 school year

• prior recipients of the state FY16 or FY17 Commonwealth Preschool Partnerships Initiative through EEC

• prior recipients of EEC’s 2014 or 2015 Birth to Grade 3 Alignment Grant

• communities demonstrating local commitment (through existing collaborative partnerships or local initiatives) to sustaining and/or expanding public-private partnerships currently in place to provide high quality preschool; and

• applicant communities serving high percentages of high-needs students.”

Strategies for Children encourages a range of communities to apply: those looking to begin the preschool planning process as well as those from the group of 15 who already have plans and may want to revisit and update them. Even if you have never participated in EEC preschool grants, you may be given preference if you meet the last two bullets above: demonstrated local commitment to public-private (mixed delivery) preschool, or having high percentages of high-needs students.

“When will Massachusetts expand access to high-quality preschool?” We believe that will happen when there are enough communities across the state with comprehensive plans for expansion, working across the mixed-delivery system, and demanding funds for implementation. Help us reach that tipping point. Apply for a preschool planning grant today.