Why Universal Pre-K Matters for Agawam

As a mom and a former teacher, I know firsthand how critical early childhood education is for setting kids up for long-term success. That’s why I believe offering universal pre-kindergarten in Agawam isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a smart investment in our future.

Pre-K teaches children how to be in school. It helps them learn to share, follow directions, solve problems, and work through big feelings—skills that are just as important as knowing their letters and numbers. And the academic benefits are clear: studies like the Perry Preschool Project and the Abecedarian Project have shown that children who attend quality early childhood programs are more likely to graduate high school, earn higher incomes, and stay out of the criminal justice system.

But the benefits don’t stop with the children. Universal Pre-K also helps working families. For many parents, the year before kindergarten is a financial cliff—daycare costs are high, and options are limited. By adding an extra year of public education, we can relieve some of that pressure and help more parents return to work or school.

And before anyone writes this off as some kind of socialist idea: Florida, a conservative state, has had voluntary Pre-K (VPK) for years—and parents line up to enroll their kids.

Here in Agawam, we have a real opportunity. The new high school building is slated to include an early childhood area, and having a former teacher on City Council means having someone who knows how to make sure that space is used to its fullest potential. I’ll be holding people accountable to ensure our littlest learners get the best start possible.

This isn’t something that will benefit my own children. My daughters will be five in December of 2025, and the early childhood wing isn’t expected to be completed until phase 3 of the project—between June and December of 2028. But that’s not the point. This is about building something for the future, for the next generation of Agawam kids.

Universal Pre-K is a win for students, for families, and for our community. Let’s make it happen.