The Healey-Driscoll administration recently announced that 30 school districts, including Holyoke and Chicopee, in partnership with over 100 community-based preschool programs, will receive a total of $20.3 million in Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative grants to expand access to high-quality, affordable preschool for children and families across Massachusetts.
Chicopee Public Schools received $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 as an Early Implementation Grantee.
Chicopee Public School Early Childhood Coordinator Kelly Hurley discussed with Reminder Publishing how the grants will benefit the district.
Hurley said the focus of the grant is to pair up with community partners. Chicopee Public Schools team up with Head Start and the Valley Opportunity Council to expand access to high quality affordable preschool.
“So, what that means is both public schools and community-based providers are working together to provide inclusive aligned preschool experiences, especially in high-need areas,” Hurley said.
According to its website, Head Start is a multi-service agency, providing comprehensive programs, services and support to local communities, families and children. They provide early childhood education, to prepare preschool children for kindergarten and for life.
Valley Opportunity Council offers high-quality childcare programs for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.
Hurley talked more about the importance of these partnerships and stated, “It strengthens our partnerships with community based providers and allows for alignment between the programs.”
The grant also allows Chicopee to provide special education services to both sites “so children don’t have to be going back and forth between the public schools and our community partners,” according to Hurley.
This is the second year Chicopee has received this grant and Hurley shared how it felt to be awarded the CPPI funds again.
“It’s great to know that the state is invested in early childhood, particularly preschool. By having these funds, we can do more for our preschool students and families to give them a stronger foundation for lifelong of learning.”
Holyoke Public Schools Early Childhood Education Director Amy Roque said Holyoke Public Schools is now beginning its third three-year CPPI grant cycle. Holyoke Public Schools received $566,800 for FY26.
Roque explained that the grant funds are shared between the district and its community partners to support six community-based classrooms, with hopes of adding a seventh classroom in the coming year.
The funds also provide special education services, coaching within CPPI classrooms, family engagement programs such as Raising a Reader and essential instructional materials and supplies.
“One of the most exciting opportunities made possible by CPPI funding is professional learning at a larger scale. For example, this past August, we hosted our Early Education Summit, which brought together more than 120 educators from Holyoke Public Schools, VOC, the YMCA, and Coordinated Family and Community Engagement,” Roque stated.
Speakers from Holyoke Community College and the Pyramid Model Consortium joined the event, creating a powerful day of collaborative learning that strengthened preschool practices and deepened the district’s collective understanding of developmentally appropriate practice.
Beyond professional learning, the funding has also allowed Holyoke to partner with CFCE and the Holyoke Children’s Museum to provide Family Talks events.
“These evenings, which include dinner and engaging family activities, have been invaluable in strengthening connections with families and fostering a sense of community,” Roque said.
The impact of this grant is also reflected in the district’s expansion of pre-K, according to Roque.
She stated, “Since before receivership, Holyoke has nearly doubled access, now offering approximately 500 pre-K seats. Much of this growth is due to the addition of full-day pre-K and dual-language pre-K, both highly sought-after by families. Data shows that students in full-day pre-K demonstrate stronger attendance and greater success in kindergarten, particularly in early literacy.”
