In a bold move to address educational equity, the Canton City School District has announced plans to offer free, full-day pre-kindergarten to all 4-year-olds in the district. This initiative, set to launch next academic year, aims to level the playing field for students entering kindergarten and improve long-term academic outcomes.
The program will feature a play-based curriculum designed to develop early literacy and numeracy skills, as well as social-emotional competencies. To accommodate the expanded enrollment, the district plans to repurpose existing spaces and hire additional early childhood educators.
As debates about universal pre-K continue at the national level, Canton’s program could provide valuable data on the impact of early childhood education on academic achievement and social mobility.
