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<p>WHEREAS: A joint ad-hoc of City Councilors, School Committee members, Cambridge Public Schools employees, and Department of Human Services employees are working towards implementing universal pre-kindergarten; and </p> <p>WHEREAS: Universal pre-kindergarten refers to government-funded programs that are accessible to all regardless of income, children’s abilities or other factors; and </p> <p>WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge and the School Committee are working to address questions regarding enrollment and eligibility for four-year-olds and three-year-olds; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: A Cambridge Early Childhood Pulse Survey with the Early Learning Study at Harvard University collected over 200 responses from 113 early childhood programs in Cambridge to understand the strengths and needs of the early education workforce to implement policies that better support the important work early educators do; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: As of 2022, CPS is currently serving approximately 373 4-year-olds in Special Start, JK, Tobin Montessori, and Fletcher-Maynard Academy and 112 3-year-olds through Special Start, Tobin Montessori and Fletcher-Maynard Academy; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: As of 2022, the city supports the enrollment of approximately 306 preschoolers in high-quality programs, including its own city-run preschools, B3 scholarship programs, and Head Start; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Approximately 1/2, or 153 students, are 4-year-olds; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Currently, the eligibility for enrollment for junior kindergarten is 4 years old if the child’s birthday is on or before March 31st and if a child is 5 on or before August 31st then they are eligible to enroll in kindergarten; and </p> <p>WHEREAS: There is enough capacity in Cambridge Public Schools and community-based programs as a mixed-delivery system to lower the enrollment age for all four-year-old children to enroll; and now therefore be it</p> <p>RESOLVED: That the Superintendent collects information regarding lowering the enrollment age to allow students who are four-years-old on or before August 31st to enter junior kindergarten, and to separate kindergarten and junior kindergarten, and share updates with the School Committee by fall 2022. In addition, the School Committee will review any related policies to the enrollment age of students enrolling in junior kindergarten. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>