Boston to spend $20 million to expand Universal Pre-K program

BOSTON -  Mayor Michelle Wu said Boston will invest $20 million to expand Boston's Universal Pre-K program.

"This is just the latest in a series of many steps that we'll be taking to ensure that all our youngest residents have access to high quality, affordable early education and care," Wu told reporters at the announcement at the neighborhood center in Chinatown Wednesday.

Massachusetts is the second most expensive state in the country when it comes to child care, according to the mayor, who said the pandemic has only exacerbated challenges and inequities in the system.

The $20 million investment will increase the number of seats for 3-and-4-year-olds at community-based centers to nearly 1,000. This will be in addition to the approximately 2,500 seats that are already part of Boston Public Schools. The funding will also help the city's Universal Pre-K program increase developmental and behavioral health screenings, hire more staff at competitive salaries and improve the quality of the curriculum. It will also provide free before-and-after-school care at some community centers.

"It's an investment in the more than 1 in 5 Boston families who have kids under the age of 5 and it's an investment in our city and our collective future," Wu said.

Part of the funding will also go to 20 providers that are working with the city over the next year to develop a new program that will include home-based child care providers and a universal pre-K program.

For more information on the program and applications, click here.