Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Continues Universal Pre-K Access Road Show in Northampton

Northampton — The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) made its second stop on their Universal Pre-K Access Road Show today in Northampton, spotlighting the city’s successful early childhood education partnerships and commitment to expanding access to high-quality preschool for all children through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI).

EEC Commissioner Amy Kershaw joined local leaders, educators, and families at the Head Start Early Learning Program for a tour of the preschool program and visit to a CPPI classroom. The Northampton partnerships include a collaboration of 11 diverse EEC-licensed partners, representing 18 CPPI-funded classrooms, including at Leeds Elementary School. The CPPI grant provides access to quality instruction to 227 children in the community, demonstrating how public-private collaborations can create sustainable universal Pre-K opportunities.

“Northampton is a great example of how local innovation and state support can come together to meet the needs of children, families and educators,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Kershaw. “This visit is about listening, learning, and building on what works so that we can bring high-quality Pre-K to every corner of the Commonwealth.”

The visit concluded at Smith College, a partner in the city’s CPPI program through the school’s Center for Early Childhood Education at Fort Hill, for a round table discussion with Northampton Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Portia Bonner, local educators, administrators and early childhood program leaders on the importance of access to high-quality preschool programs to close the learning gap for all children before entering kindergarten.

"The public schools partnership with community based child care centers has provided more access and choice to providers that meet their needs," said Dr. Portia Bonner, Northampton Public Schools Superintendent. "Children who attend preschool are better prepared socially, emotionally and academically as they enter kindergarten. Without grant funding, this partnership would not have been realized."

"Governor Healey and Commissioner Kershaw, through the CPPI grants, have created partnerships that support children and their families as they navigate the first five years of the child's life,” said Clare Higgins, Executive Director at Community Action Pioneer Valley. “Because of their ongoing support, Northampton has created a true partnership with parents and providers that is a model for others to emulate.”

“Head Start is an essential component of Massachusetts’ early education mixed delivery system, providing high-quality early education and wraparound services for the most vulnerable families,” said Michelle Haimowitz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association. “We are proud to stand in partnership with Commissioner Kershaw and the Healey-Driscoll Administration to celebrate CPPI and partnerships between early education and our public school partners."

These visits are part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s broader Gateway to Pre-K initiative, which is investing more than $20 million across Massachusetts to expand access to preschool, especially in Gateway Cities and rural communities. Northampton is among the 30 districts receiving funding through CPPI, enabling the city to increase pre-K seats through a mixed-delivery model that includes both public schools and community-based providers.

Governor Healey’s FY26 budget and related Fair Share supplemental budget funds CPPI at $25 million for FY26, with additional funding to expand access over 3 years. The expansion would allow CPPI to reach the remaining 7 Gateway Cities not currently funded, as well as enable 12 current grantees move to full implementation. In total, funding would be available for 37 districts to continue efforts to create systemic alignment and coordination, strategic expansion, and efficient investments to make on-the-ground progress towards the goal of universal access to preschool in the Commonwealth.

EEC intends to release opportunities to apply for CPPI grants in FY26 through a staged process subject to the availability of funding. Learn more about CPPI at Mass.gov/CPPI.

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