By Somerville Times Staff

A report commissioned by the schools, the city and the School Committee on preparing children for kindergarten recommends that rather than pursuing solely school-based universal preschool for 4-year-olds, that the community establish an early childhood system for pre-kindergarteners of all ages through a provider network that would include Somerville Public Schools, nonprofit and private early-childhood care providers and other local agencies working collaboratively to support universal kindergarten readiness.

The report recently presented to the School Committee, SomerReady: Creating a Citywide, Universal Kindergarten Readiness System, calls for coordination and collaboration among the existing early education and care services in Somerville, including the city, school department, Head Start, nonprofit providers and private and faith-based groups.

The report cites research showing that providing children and families with education and support beginning with pregnancy and continuing until kindergarten, rather than waiting until the child is 3 or 4 years old, is critical to creating the foundation for a child’s success in school. A strong early education and care system is needed to deliver programs and services to all families and children. Critical programs and services noted include: home visits by health or child development specialists; parent education; early intervention and special education services; childcare; pre-kindergarten; and physical and mental health services.

The report states that because both public and private organizations in Somerville already offer these programs and services, these existing resources should be coordinated and enhanced for infants to 4-year-olds rather than the city pursuing a solely school-based universal preschool. It recommends instead that public, private and nonprofit providers work collaboratively in an integrated system to provide a set of streamlined, coordinated and comprehensive services to all families, ensuring that each child and family receives education and support, all with the same high standards. Joint professional development for all service providers in the system and a more structured support system for early childhood programs across the city is also recommended.

“This impressive study recognizes the complexity of raising children who are ready to take full advantage of all that our schools offer, especially for families who may experience additional challenges,” Somerville School Committee Chairman Christine Rafal said. “The recommendations could be seen as a modern way to implement the traditional wisdom that it really does take a village to raise a child to his or her fullest potential.”

Recommendations for instituting this integrated early childhood strategy include a new director of early education and care who would be responsible for coordinating these efforts. It also includes creating a single point of entry into Somerville’s early education and care system, with Somerville Public Schools’ Parent Information Center (PIC) expanding to include early education and care information and referral services. A new website would also provide families with an overview of all the programs, services and options available in the city.

The proposed plan would transition from the current and somewhat separate public and private systems to an integrated approach through which public and private services collaborate in providing support for young families. The goal is to provide universal kindergarten readiness for all Somerville children and to bring greater continuity to those children’s experiences across the education and care settings of their pre-kindergarten years while also offering flexibility and choice to families to choose a provider setting that best suits their child.

“High-quality preschool education has been shown to narrow the achievement gap by as much as half, according to the National Education Policy Center, but it’s more than just preschool that can make a difference. As we know in Somerville, it takes a holistic approach, supporting our children not only academically, but in all areas of their lives,” Mayor Joe Curtatone said. “This should be a fundamental right for every student, not a luxury, and this report makes innovative recommendations on how to provide this to all of our children, from diapers to day one of kindergarten, by utilizing both public and private resources in a collaborative way that preserves flexibility for our families.”

The report is in response to a 2013 request from the Somerville School Committee and the Mayor’s Child and Youth Study Team, which is a joint effort by the city and schools, to study kindergarten readiness in Somerville. Initially focused on the future possibilities within Somerville Public Schools’ SMILE preschool program, the report’s authors found that focusing on the broader idea of universal kindergarten readiness, instead of only universal preschool, would better serve the diverse community in Somerville while capitalizing on the resources and programs already available.

“Our focus on universal kindergarten readiness based on research and best practices to maximize student potential supports our community’s vision and desire to share best practices and learn from one another, and develop an approach that works for our community,” School Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi said. “Somerville is a unique community that brings together a wide range of cultural experiences and knowledge. We want to build on that collective wisdom.”

The report outlines how Somerville is well poised to play a leadership role in the creation of a robust and coordinated network of early education and care, with many of the necessary elements already in place, recognizing that no one sector—public schools, the city, private providers or other community agencies—can achieve universal Kindergarten readiness alone.

“The report includes recommendations for a bold commitment to early childhood education in Somerville, a commitment that will advance our city’s role as a state and national leader in support for early learning,” added Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Dr. Vince McKay. “These steps represent good social policy as well as good economic policy. One of the most compelling arguments for investments in the early years is that they have been widely proven to reduce later social and economic costs. This is the right thing to do, now, for our children.”