Ellis is proud to have been selected by Boston Public Schools (BPS) in a competitive process to provide Universal Pre-K (UPK) in four of our preschool classrooms, now serving both three- and four-year-olds.
Since 2014, BPS has recognized Ellis as a high-quality community-based organization worthy of its investment to expand high-quality Pre-K classrooms outside BPS school buildings. Working in partnership with BPS, four Ellis preschool classrooms now receive considerable resources in the form of funding and programmatic support.
BPS funding makes it possible for Ellis to fairly compensate the well-qualified teachers in our BPS partner classrooms. It is our hope that with continued philanthropic and government support, Ellis will be able to provide all our educators a livable wage, better reflecting the critical value of their work.
In our BPS classrooms, thanks to our partnership:
All teachers have a degree in early childhood education and are prepared to teach in classroom settings to support students of all backgrounds and needs.
Teachers receive ongoing professional development throughout the year to enhance their teaching.
Expert coaches provide ongoing support to teachers.
Students learn from the Boston Public Schools Focus on K1 Curriculum and Building Blocks Curriculum, which are national models in early childhood education.
All classroom environments are age-appropriate and culturally responsive.
Ellis has a Family Engagement Coordinator available to provide support to families to meet their individual needs.
Ellis students in BPS partner classrooms experience play-centered learning in small classrooms; enjoy routines and grow comfortable with classroom structures; build positive relationships with other children and teachers; build social, emotional, critical thinking, math, and reading skills; and work independently and in groups to explore new ideas, question concepts, and share their feelings, becoming well-rounded students better prepared for school and life.
Research shows that children who attended the BPS Pre-K (UPK) program continue to outperform students who did not attend, and have long-term academic achievement. Ellis is proud to be part of this success, working in partnership with BPS.