By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and  do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Taking a holistic approach to every issue and understanding that in each situation there are multiple factors that affect the outcome has been a guiding force in so many of the city’s accomplishments. Take public safety, for example. If we’re serious about reducing crime, we don’t simply put more officers on the street or make more arrests. We go to the root of the problem. We support strong family units. And we support strong education, which is a complex system, too.

That’s why I’m pleased to see a new report that takes the broad and complex – but not complicated – view by recommending that instead of looking at universal preschool as the sole means of preparing children for kindergarten, Somerville should look toward establishing an innovative citywide early childhood network where all providers, both public and private, can help families in laying the groundwork for their children’s academic success. This approach would ensure that from diapers to day one of kindergarten, children and their families can get the support and services they need for children to reach their full potential.

We’ve long taken the holistic approach to the K-12 education we provide our children. Starting a decade ago in the midst of a brutal economy, we watched other school districts in Massachusetts layoff teachers, hike up fees and slash music, world language and athletics programs. In Somerville, we did not cut programs, we did not even merely sustain them. We continued to invest more, ensuring that every Somerville student gets a comprehensive, well-rounded and high-quality education in our schools.

The Somerville Public Schools budget for the current school year expands those programs, providing more students than ever before the opportunity to learn a foreign language, take a music class or participate in intramural sports. We know those programs are not extras but an essential part of education, proven to improve academic success, and we don’t nickel and dime our families for them. Our schools also serve the whole student by providing an array of services from nutrition and tutoring to family engagement. Education does not stop in the classroom. The factors that affect success are community-wide. We are studying these factors, tracking the data, looking at the systems that impact learning, and we are seeing results.

This year’s school budget also funded two additional classrooms in the popular SMILE preschool program because expanding preschool education makes a huge difference in children’s future. High-quality preschool education has been shown to narrow the achievement gap by as much as half, according to the National Education Policy Center, and this opportunity to achieve this kind of success shouldn’t be a luxury for families, but a fundamental right for every child. Adults who attended preschool programs as children have higher college attendance rates, higher employment and earnings, fewer arrests and less drug abuse.

But is school-based universal preschool education alone enough? The School Committee and my Child and Youth Study Team, a joint effort by the city and schools, asked last year for a study of kindergarten readiness in Somerville. The comprehensive report delivered last week, “SomerReady: Creating a Citywide, Universal Kindergarten Readiness System,” cites research that shows instead of waiting until a child is three or four years old, providing education and support for children and families beginning with pregnancy has a significant impact on how a child will perform academically.

That report recommends that we should take the same approach for infants and toddlers that we take for all our K-12 students, because again, we know that education does not stop in the classroom. That approach means serving the whole child, and because Somerville already has diverse options for early education and care services across a variety of providers – including the city, Somerville Schools, Head Start, nonprofits and private and faith-based groups – we can tap into that existing network and make it easier for families to access the services they need and support universal kindergarten readiness across the board.

The key here is an innovative public-private approach with all these providers working collaboratively. There’s no point in duplicating efforts when high-quality options are already available in Somerville, but there is good reason to ensure that all early education and care providers benefit from joint professional development and the mutual sharing of best practices that will enhance all the programs available in Somerville.

The other key is creating a single point of entry into the early education and care system, so families can easily find and access the services they need. Whether a family needs a home visit by a child development specialist, mental health services, childcare, or early intervention or special education services, by creating a single point of entry we could ensure that every family and every child can easily access the support they need.

Education is a lifelong endeavor, and we shouldn’t be waiting until kids are on the verge of entering kindergarten to make sure they’re on the right track. We’re fortunate that Somerville already has so much knowledge, expertise and high-quality services right at our fingertips. If we can adopt this report’s recommendations, our city can lead the way on early education and care, again provide a model for others to follow, and most importantly educate each and every child and create an environment where all Somerville children can reach their greatest potential.