Cambridge Preschool Program Expansion and Means Testing

The Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) entered its second year of implementation by June 2026, operating through a mixed delivery system of Cambridge Public Schools, the Department of Human Service Programs, and community providers. During the June 29 city council meeting, the Office of Early Childhood presented enrollment data showing 44 percent priority-status students and 56 percent general-status students, along with the success of its matching algorithm.

Council discussion turned to the feasibility of expanding CPP access to three-year-olds. The Office presented cost modeling for income-screening scenarios, finding that even aggressive means testing of higher-income families might generate only $4–$6 million, potentially offset by new administrative costs and burdens on middle-income families between 65 and 100 percent of area median income.

Councilors questioned the adequacy of projected savings to support universal three-year-old expansion and debated terminology, preferring “income screening” over “means testing.” They also examined outreach gaps, transportation barriers for younger children, and the broader infant-and-toddler care shortage.

The Council reached consensus that any expansion should be folded into the multi-year budget process rather than depending primarily on income-based fees. Administration was directed to supply additional spreadsheets detailing AMI thresholds and family counts before further consideration.