Parents decry pre-K lottery after nine 4-year-olds left off Somerville enrollment
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Summary
At a March 18 Somerville Board of Education meeting, parents pressed district leaders over a prekindergarten lottery that left nine 4‑year‑olds without seats while three‑year‑olds were prioritized under a grant; district leaders said they are reviewing the process and will continue conversations with families.
Parents of children who applied for Somerville Public School District prekindergarten told the Board of Education on March 18 they were left without clear answers after a lottery left nine 4‑year‑olds off the enrollment list while spots were allocated to 3‑year‑olds.
"High quality preschool can change the educational trajectories of young children," said Gregory Owens, a Somerville resident and parent whose daughter was among the nine 4‑year‑olds who did not receive a slot. Owens read a Department of Education passage and said he was told district staff "admitted that they arbitrarily chose the number 9, even though the grant doesn't specify a required amount." He called the result "unfair" and urged the board to make finding placements for the excluded 4‑year‑olds a high priority.
The matter drew several other parents to the microphone. James Vasilone, whose daughter was on the wait list, said families lacked transparency about how the lottery and wait list were managed and expressed concern that names appeared on a public list. Ashley Kennard said she was told conflicting information about whether a lottery would be held and that parents had been given "false hope" about access to preschool seats.
Board members acknowledged the concerns during the meeting. The presiding officer said the board and administration are "aware of the concerns that are being expressed" and asked families to contact the superintendent with specific questions so staff can respond directly. Superintendent Levisco told the board the district had already met with one preschool parent, said he would continue conversations with families, and apologized for any miscommunication.
Parents repeatedly asked whether the district could reconfigure slots so 4‑year‑olds would be served; the board and administration said they are reviewing constraints tied to the grant cited by staff and will follow up with families outside the public meeting. Several commentators referenced a district decision to prioritize three‑year‑olds under what they were told was a PDA grant; the district described the grant requirement in general terms during the meeting but did not provide a written grant citation in public comments.
Why it matters: Early access to high‑quality preschool is broadly linked to kindergarten readiness and longer‑term academic outcomes, parents and speakers said; local families said the lottery outcome imposes immediate childcare and financial burdens.
The board asked families to email the superintendent with specific questions; it also said administrators will meet with parents and that the board will take any appropriate follow‑up actions after those conversations.
