UPK at The Kennedy Center
Registration [or Early Application if it is Dec thru May] for Boston Universal Pre-K at The Kennedy Center is open! The City of Boston provides high-quality preschool for every 4-year-old living in the city at no cost to families. In the 2021-22 school year, Boston UPK is launching a pilot program to serve a limited number of 3-year-olds in mixed-age classrooms with 4-year-olds.
Pre-k curriculum and quality at Boston UPK community-based sites here at The Kennedy Center are aligned with that of Boston Public Schools classrooms. As a Boston UPK partner, we use the nationally recognized BPS Focus curriculum, offer a 6.5-hour school day for 180 days per year at no cost to families, and our teachers’ qualifications are aligned with BPS school staff.
Boston Public Schools recently introduced a Connector system for students transitioning from Universal Pre-K in community-based centers to kindergarten (K2) in BPS schools. The Connector gives priority to UPK children during the BPS lottery assignment for K2 in certain schools.
Students in the UPK program work toward becoming well-rounded students better prepared for school and life through:
● Play-centered learning in small classrooms
● Developing routines to become comfortable with classroom structures
● Building positive relationships with other children and teachers
● Building social, emotional, critical thinking, math, and reading skills
● Working independently and in groups to explore new ideas, question concepts, and share their feelings, becoming well-rounded students better prepared for school and life
Find more information on applying for Boston UPK, eligibility, the new Connector system, and a list of all community-based organizations offering UPK in Boston at
