Applications Now Being Accepted for Cambridge Preschool Program 2025-2026 School Year

The City of Cambridge and Cambridge Public Schools are delighted to announce that applications for the Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) for the 2025-2026 school year are now being accepted through Thursday, October 31, 2024. The CPP application is available on https://earlychildhoodcambridge.org/cpp/.

Overseen by the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood (OEC), CPP is a publicly-funded program that provides access to free preschool for every 4-year-old and some 3-year-olds living in Cambridge through a streamlined application and matching process. Cambridge residents who will turn 4 years old or 3 years old by August 31, 2025 are eligible to apply to CPP for enrollment in the 2025-2026 school year.

The City of Cambridge provides funding to cover the cost of school-day, school-year preschool tuition for every Cambridge 4-year-old and for 3-year-olds who meet priority criteria. Families can choose from programs that operate full-day and year-round for an additional cost.

As of August 2024, nearly 800 Cambridge children were enrolled in programs across more than 60 Cambridge preschool sites for the 2024-2025 school year.

Application Support
The Office of Early Childhood and its partners have application support for anyone who needs assistance with a CPP Application. Families are encouraged to make an appointment.

Throughout October, staff can be available and provide application support at the following locations:

Cambridge Office of Early Childhood
1972 Massachusetts Ave - 2nd floor
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Call or text 857-270-4384 or email [email protected]

Cambridge Public Schools, Student Registration Center
459 Broadway Court
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Call or text 857-270-4384 or email [email protected]

Department of Human Services Programs
51 Inman Street - 3rd Floor
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Mondays; 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
Call 617-349-6254

Center for Families, North Cambridge Office
70 Rindge Ave - Rear of the school building (door #10)
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call 617-349-7280 to schedule an appointment

Evening appointments can be scheduled.

If you need language support or a translator to complete the CPP application, please contact 857-270-4384 or email [email protected]. The application will be available in Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Haitian Creole, and Spanish.

Families who apply in October will be notified of their child's preschool match in January 2025.

Eligibility
A child is eligible to apply to the Cambridge Preschool Program if:

• They are a Cambridge resident
• They will turn 4 years old by August 31, 2025
• They will turn 3 years old by August 31, 2025

Participating Programs

• Cambridge Public Schools
• Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP)
• Head Start
• Select community-based preschool & family childcare providers

Helpful Resources

For the latest updates about CPP, visit https://earlychildhoodcambridge.org/cpp/, email [email protected], or call 617-349-6608.

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