Information About CPP Providers

Program Schedules & Costs

You will be asked to rank 6-10 desired programs in your child’s application. All 4-year-olds and priority 3-year-olds will be matched with one of their ranked programs. Some general 3-year-olds will be matched with a program while others will be added to a waitlist.

More information about the application and matching process can be found in the Application and Matching sections of the Family Guide.

Researching Preschool Programs

When choosing preschool programs you are interested in, it might be helpful to think about the following:

How far is the program from my home or work?
How much does the program cost?
Is there any financial assistance available?
What is the program’s schedule? Hours? Summer hours? Holidays?
Are there any holidays or school breaks when the program is closed?
Is food provided, or is there an additional cost?
What kind of meals and snacks?

We recommend visiting programs and talking to program staff and current families. It’s also helpful to talk with your friends, neighbors, and others you trust in the community about your choices.

Some resources to help during this process:

Please click on this Researching Preschool Programs document to find guidance about how to choose a preschool program that will work for your child and family.

CPP Cost Breakdown

The cost of CPP depends on three factors: A child’s age, their priority status, and the program they enroll in. Below is the breakdown of CPP costs based on age, priority status, and program:

	Cambridge Public Schools (CPS)	Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP)	Community Providers
3-year-olds & 4 year olds below 65% Area Median Income	FREE for a 6.5-hour day, 10-month program (September to June) NO Extended Day and Summer Available	FREE for a full day, full-year program (10-hour day, 12-month year)	FREE for full day, full-year program IF a program offers extended day and summer Hours & Schedules vary by location
4-year-olds above 65% Area Median Income	FREE for a 6.5 hour day, 10-month program (September to June) NO Extended Day and Summer Available	$100 to $400 per month based on household income Program offered for a full-day/full-year	FREE for a 6.5-hour day, 10-month program (September to June) Additional costs for extended day and summer vary by location
3-year-olds above 65% Area Median Income Limited Seats available Enrollment not guaranteed	FREE for a 6.5-hour day, 10-month program (September to June) NO Extended Day and Summer Available	$400 to $1900 per month based on household income Program offered for a full-day/full-year	NOT AVAILABLE for general 3 year old enrollment through CPP

All applicants will be asked to add their income information while applying. This information will be reviewed to determine priority vs. general status. By not answering the income questions and/or not submitting income documents, a family agrees to be ineligible for financial assistance and agrees to pay top fees for extended day care at any program that offers it.

Massachusetts Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) ChildCare Vouchers

Massachusetts CCFA can help you pay for child care and out-of-school time programs. For more information about the state CCFA program

Click Here

CPP Program Types

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Cambridge Public Schools

Learn about DHSP’s full-day, full-year (including summer) citywide preschools for children across Cambridge, from September through August. Each classroom is designed to nurture young learners while partnering closely with families to support every child’s growth and success.

Department of Human Service Programs

Explore CPS preschool models, from Montessori and language immersion to integrated Special Start classrooms. Each program follows the school calendar and uses the Focus on 4’s curriculum to prepare young learners for success, supported by a dedicated team of professionals.

CPP Curriculum Models

Explore CPP’s Community-Based models, where children learn through play, exploration, and creativity. This video highlights different curriculum models, including Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Creative Curriculum, so families can find the best fit for their child’s needs and learning style.

Cambridge Public Schools (CPS)

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Cambridge Public Schools offer 13 preschool programs at 11 elementary schools:

CPS- Amigos School Spanish Immersion Program (4-year-olds only)
CPS- Baldwin School
CPS- Cambridgeport School
CPS- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School (4-year-olds only)
CPS- Martin Luther King Jr.- Mandarin Immersion Program (4-year-olds only)
CPS- Fletcher Maynard Academy
CPS- Graham & Parks School

CPS- Haggerty School
CPS- King Open School
CPS- King Open Portuguese Immersion Program (4-year-old programs)
CPS- Morse School
CPS- Peabody School
CPS- Tobin Montessori School

Highlights of Cambridge Public Schools programs:

Schedule: School-Day, School-Year only programs (6.5-hour school-day, September to June), following the public school calendar. Hours vary by program. Early dismissal on Wednesdays

- NO extended day programming offered
- NO summer programming offered
- CPP does NOT cover after-school or summer camp costs for families enrolled in CPS preschool programs.

Cost: No cost to families

Matriculation: Once enrolled in a CPS school, students will be able to remain at that school throughout their elementary school years.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch are provided to all students free of charge.

Transportation: Transportation is available to students who are 4-years-old. Transportation information can be found on the district website.

Curriculum: Focus on K1

Language Immersion Programs:

- Immersion Programs: CPS offers language immersion classes in Mandarin located at CPS- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School, Spanish located at CPS- Amigos School, and Portuguese, located at CPS- King Open School. These classes provide instruction in both English and the indicated language. Students learn reading, writing, math, science, and social studies in both of the languages. Immersion is the most effective way to learn a language, second only to living in another country.

Special Start Program

- The Cambridge Public Schools Special Start Program is designed to support children who require special education services. For more information, visit the CPS Special Start website.
- As part of the Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP), all applications for Special Start will be accepted through the CPP process unless your child has an IEP indicating a specialized classroom placement.

Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP)

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The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) offers 6 preschool locations throughout Cambridge:

DHSP- Alewife
DHSP- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
DHSP- Haggerty
DHSP- King Open
DHSP- Morse
DHSP- Tobin
DHSP- Windsor

DHSP preschools are run by the City of Cambridge’s Department of Human Service Programs. Many DHSP preschools are housed within Cambridge Public School buildings, however they are not part of the public school system. They differ from CPS in hours, length of year, curriculum and staffing/administration.

Highlights of DHSP Preschool Programs:

Schedule: Full-day, full-year programs (10-hour school day, 12 months per year)

Cost: Free full-day, full-year tuition for income-eligible families (below 65% AMI). Income Guidelines 2026-2027

- Sliding scale tuition rates based on household income and size for all other families:
  - 3-Year-Old rates range from approximately $0-$1900 per month
  - 4-Year-Old rates range from approximately $0-$400 per month

Meals: Breakfast, snack, and lunch are provided.

Transportation: No transportation available

Curriculum: Play-based

Matriculation: No matriculation to Cambridge Public Schools. Children enrolled in DHSP preschools must enter the Cambridge Public Schools Kindergarten Lottery to determine their kindergarten placement. Attending a DHSP Preschool does not guarantee or give priority for continuation at the same location for elementary school.

Other: Please note: DHSP preschool programs are completely separate, full-day programs from CPS preschool classrooms. They are not after-school programs for CPS preschools.

Community-Based Providers

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Our CPP community-based providers offer early education and care in various settings and locations, including center-based and family childcare programs throughout the city of Cambridge. They represent a diversity of philosophies, curriculum, settings, and more.

Family Child Care Programs:

C&C (Christina Smith) Family Child Care
Beech Street Littles (Emily Winston) Family Childcare

Affiliate-Only Programs:

Bright Horizons/MIT – Koch

Multi-Site Community-Based Providers:

Bright Horizons Cambridge:

Bright Horizons – Mass Ave
Bright Horizons – Kendall

Cambridge Preschool of the Arts:

East Cambridge
Cambridgeport
Inman Square
West Cambridge

Campus Child Care:

Botanic Gardens
Harvard Yard
Oxford Street
Peabody Terrace
Radcliffe

Rock & Roll Daycare:

Central Square
Inman Square
North Point
Porter Square

Highlights of Community-Based Providers:

Schedule: Hours and school year calendars vary. Some programs offer extended day and summer care, some are school-day, school-year only programs.

Cost: Free school-day, school-year placement for priority 3-year-olds and all 4-year-olds. Please note: General 3-year-olds cannot apply for community-based provider seats through CPP.

Free extended day and summer care for priority 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds, if the program offers those hours.
Costs vary for extended day and summer care for general 4-year-olds.

Meals: Varies by program

Transportation: No transportation provided.

Curriculum: Varies by program, including: Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, Creative Curriculum, and High Scope.

More information about each program can be found in the individual provider profile within the CPP application search tool.

CPP Families

CPP Home Page

CPP Application

Click the button below to apply to the Cambridge Preschool Program today!

Apply to CPP

CPP Provider Search Tool

Families are encouraged to use the CPP Search Tool to review our provider profiles prior to the application process for general information, including locations, hours, and more.

CPP Search Tool