Integrated Preschool Program
Integrated Preschool Program
The Dedham Public Schools operates an integrated preschool program at the Curran Early Childhood Education Center. The program is designed to meet the needs of children between the ages of three and five who may exhibit delays in one or more areas of development. The integrated preschool classroom model includes enrollment opportunities for students who do not require special education support, creating the opportunity for our students with special needs to learn alongside age-like peers.
The integrated preschool has a limited number of tuition-based preschool spaces available each school year. Families with preschool aged children (3+ by September 1st) who are fully toilet-trained and display developmentally appropriate speech/language, social, and play skills may apply for a space in the ECEC preschool program.
We believe that every child deserves the best start in their educational journey,
and we can’t wait to share how our program fosters
growth and development in a supportive setting.
Peer Model Pre-Registration for the 2026-2027 ECEC PreSchool Program will be open from:
November 13, 2025 - December 14, 2025
Please see below for details on the PreRegistration & Screening Process
Integrated Preschool Program Overview
The main function of Integrated Preschool Program at the ECEC is to provide special education programming, and/or related services, to students identified with a disability, per their Individualized Education Program (IEP). The program is enhanced by adding peers from our community to participate in the curriculum together with students identified with disabilities and receiving support services. Peer models and children with disabilities playing and learning together in the same classroom completes the integrated program.
- 6 integrated preschool classrooms
- Classroom teachers are dually certified/licensed through DESE (special educators/general educators)
- Educational Support Professional (ESP)
- Related Service providers (speech/language, occupational & physical therapist, school psychologist
Peer models are children from our community who demonstrate strong communication, social emotional, and early readiness skills.
Benefits of Integrated Preschool for Peer Model Students
Peer models help foster a collaborative, supportive environment where all children learn from one another.
Peer interactions encourage the development of social skills like communication, turn-taking, and empathy.
Peer models gain a deeper understanding of diversity and develop more compassionate attitudes toward others, which are valuable life skills.
The peer model’s role extends beyond helping children with disabilities; they also gain insight into diverse ways of thinking and problem-solving from their classmates with varying abilities
Benefits of Integrated Preschool for Students with Disabilities & IEPs
- Opportunities for related service provision (speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist, or special education teachers) both in and out of the classroom setting,
- Immersion in the same curriculum as their peers, along with inclusive teaching strategies that benefit all children, including modifications to the curriculum, individualized support, and differentiated instruction.
- Fostering of peer interactions, allowing children with disabilities to model social skills from typically developing peers, and vice versa. This promotes inclusivity and helps break down stigmas about disabilities.
- Hands on opportunities for practice and generalization of newly presented skills.
Learn More About Preschool Special Education Programs & Services
Register for The Integrated Preschool Program
Dedham Public Schools has a multi-step registration process for students interested in joining the program as a Peer Model. This process helps ensure the best possible classroom experience for all our preschool learners.
If you believe your child may qualify for special education preschool programming, please see our Child Find information listed below or reach out to our Student Services team.
-
If, after reviewing the ECEC Integrated Preschool Program information, you are interested in enrolling your child as a Peer Model student in our preschool program, you should complete the Pre-Registration Form online.
This pre-registration form will ask for basic student/family information including name, address, birthdate, gender and parent/guardian contact details.
*Completing this form does not guarantee a screening appointment.
-
The ECEC team will be reviewing the list of pre-registered families to identify the children who fit the criteria for Peer Models, and who will best meet the the needs of the classrooms currently in development. Children invited to attend the Friendship Screening will be assigned one of the set Friendship Screening dates in their email invitation.
2026 - 2027 School Year : Invitations to a screening appointment will be emailed to families by December 22, 2025.
2026 - 2027 School Year : Peer Model Friendship Screening Dates
- January 7, 2026
- January 13, 2026
- January 22, 2026
- January 27, 2026
- February 4, 2026
All screenings will be conducted at the ECEC. Your invitation will include one of these dates and a set time for the Screening.
-
Following the Peer Model Friendship Screening, students who have been selected as peer models will receive an email invitation with an acceptance offer: 2, 3 or 5 full days of preschool for the 2026-2027 school year. If your family chooses to accept the invitation to the offered program, you will be asked to confirm that you would like to accept the placement within a few weeks - please see annual deadline for details.
Our goal is to ensure that we are creating classroom spaces that provide positive and supportive educational environments for all our students to learn and grow. Students who will be invited to join the Integrated Preschool Program as a peer model will be selected based on the following:
- Available classroom openings
- Age range needed in each classroom
- Specifics of desired skills sets needed
- Peer model skills identified through “Friendship Screening” to determine well balanced classrooms
-
Once families have confirmed that their child will participate in the program offered for the upcoming school year, a follow up email will be sent with additional information and registration instructions. This email will include a Program Contract for the family to sign, at which point a Tuition Deposit is due.
Registration for Dedham Public Schools is an online process. Please be sure to review our Registration Page to understand the Registration requirements needed to register a student in the Dedham Public Schools, including: Proof of Residency, Physical Exam and Immunization Records requirements.
-
The Pre-Registration interest list student information and contact details are retained for the school year. In the event that space become available, we will use the Pre-Registration information to identify and contact students who may be able to fill the space. Spaces are not tracked in a priority or first come order. We will continually refer back to the list of interested families as spaces become available.
-
2026 - 2027 Tuition
Tuition is paid online on the 1st of each month2 Full Days $3,710/year $371.00/month 3 Full Days $5,567/year $557.00/month 5 Full Days $9,275/year $927.00/month 5 Half Days $4,640/year $464.00/month DPS Online Payment Link
Preschool Program Webinar
Dedham ECEC hosted an informational webinar in November 2024 to share information on the Integrated Preschool Program. All of the information about the program remains the same, so it's a great way to learn more about the benefits, get answers to common questions and hear from parents of former students. Please Note: Dates shared in this Webinar are for the 2025-2026 school year. Please see current 2026-27 dates above for accurate timelines.
