Quincy officials describe CPPI preschool pilot, itinerant therapy and proposals to reduce wait list

Quincy Public Schools on May 28 updated the School Committee subcommittee on a Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) grant that funded preschool partnerships, curriculum pilots and an itinerant speech-language therapy model working inside community child care centers.

Dr. Perkins (Administrator, Quincy Public Schools) told the committee the district received $250,000 through CPPI this year and may be eligible to apply for up to $500,000 in the next round. The grant funded collaboration with community providers, pilot curriculum work and an itinerant speech-language pathologist who provides screenings, evaluations and short-term therapy at partner child-care sites.

Monique Antonelli (CPPI Grant Coordinator, Quincy Public Schools) described work on three priorities required by the grant: access to quality preschool, inclusive service delivery (reducing unnecessary transitions for children who receive special-education services) and alignment of curriculum and assessment with community providers. The district piloted two research-based preschool curricula—Frog Street and 3 Cheers—with six QPS teachers and three community preschool classrooms; the pilot ran roughly four weeks per curriculum and will be evaluated by staff before any wider adoption.

Cleona McLaughlin (Itinerant Speech and Language Pathologist, Quincy Public Schools) described the program’s direct service outcomes. She said she now carries a caseload of 21 preschool students, has completed 11 comprehensive speech and language evaluations and 18 screenings since beginning itinerant visits in December. McLaughlin said onsite screenings have enabled three children who previously qualified for QPS services but could not attend centrally provided sessions to begin receiving weekly therapy at their childcare site, and she explained how onsite collaboration with childcare teachers produced practical classroom strategies such as a simple “first–then” visual board used to support attention and transitions.

Data from the needs assessment were presented: roughly 200 families and multiple providers responded to surveys used to shape priorities; respondents identified cost of childcare, schedule mismatches and long wait lists as the top barriers to access. Presenters estimated “around 300–400 families” are currently on waiting lists for preschool or childcare vouchers in the area. The district also reported 54 preschool-age children were being bused between partner programs and QPS classrooms; delivering services in community settings could open those 54 spots in QPS classrooms if children remain served in their community site.

Committee members asked operational and funding questions. Begoli (Committee member, Quincy School Committee) and others asked how the grant model reduces the backlog without building new classrooms; Perkins and staff explained that providing special-education services in community sites lets children remain in their childcare provider, which frees integrated QPS classroom slots. Antonelli said EEC (Department of Early Education and Care) site monitors visited and that the district expects to submit a strategic action plan with any future CPPI application. The CPPI grant opportunity is expected to open soon, but the district did not have a confirmed application deadline; staff said they have been told funding is available and that they expect an upcoming application window.

Presenters described next steps: finalize the curriculum pilot choice after teacher feedback, standardize assessments across QPS and community providers, expand the itinerant model to add behavior and social–emotional supports and explore subsidizing CPPI-funded slots in community providers as a mechanism to reduce wait lists. The district also noted workforce challenges among community providers and discussed using some grant funds for professional development and possible stipends to retain trained staff.

Committee members voiced broad support and asked staff to continue refining budgets and sustainability plans in advance of the next grant round.