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Harvard proposes new 175‑day preschool model with optional enrichment

Harvard School Committee · January 12, 2026
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Summary

The district proposed a 175‑day Monday–Friday preschool (9 a.m.–1 p.m.) with optional 1–3:30 p.m. enrichment; core tuition proposed at $8,000/year and enrichment at $3,000/year, with the committee expressing support for a financially sustainable model.

Ms. DellaValle, the district’s Director of Pupil Services, presented a proposed preschool structure for 2026–27 that would operate 175 days per year, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with an optional extended enrichment period from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The core tuition for the proposed model would be $8,000 per year; enrichment would be an additional $3,000 per year.

Ms. DellaValle described the district’s process: benchmarking other districts, soliciting family input, reviewing local preschool calendars, constructing a preliminary plan, consulting SEPAC and district administration, and refining the model to balance fiscal sustainability with program quality. The proposed model aims to preserve common planning time for preschool providers, maintain typical peer‑slot enrollment, provide access to specials for PreK students, and accommodate students who receive IEP services.

Committee members asked about individual supports (related services, discrete trial training) and were told special education services will be determined by the preschool team during program planning. The committee noted the tuition will realistically increase (about $1,000 from the prior year) and expressed support for a plan to make the preschool program more self‑sustaining within three to five years.