Arlington Public Schools has once again announced plans to end its partnership on the Integration Station early-childhood initiative.
Supporters of The Children’s School plan to rally before the School Board next week to oppose the planned phaseout. It follows a previous plan to shutter the program in 2025, which school leaders ultimately abandoned.
“After careful consideration and discussion with the School Board, APS will be moving forward with the phaseout” of Integration Station, The Children’s School leaders informed parents this week, quoting from an email sent by Gerald Mann, the school system’s chief academic officer.
The email followed a conversation between Mann and The Children’s School executive director Erin Hindes to inform her of the decision.
The Integration Station provides an integrated educational program for 2- to 5-year-old APS students with disabilities. In early 2025, Superintendent Francisco Durán and staff proposed phasing out the partnership, transferring students to neighborhood schools instead.
Durán and staff cited budget pressures as one reason for the proposal.
After community outcry, the School Board reversed the staff recommendation before budget adoption in the spring of 2025. But advocates feared the action was only a temporary reprieve.
No students would lose services as part of the transition, Mann told The Children’s School leaders, according to the letter sent to parents.
ARLnow has reached out to APS leadership for comment.
In its note to the community, The Children’s School said it was saddened that the partnership appears to be ending. The message added:
“The integration of The Children’s School and Integration Station has been hailed by APS and others as the gold standard of inclusive early childhood education. Although we wish the partnership were continuing, TCS will continue its work supporting families from all of Arlington, including APS teachers. We look forward to welcoming new families into our community and will continue to be a leader in inclusive, play-based early childhood education center that strengthens the Arlington community.”
The Children’s School (4770 Langston Blvd) is a nonprofit founded by APS employees with the goal of providing quality childcare and early-childhood education.
Integration Station supporters are expected to attend the Sept. 24 meeting to voice concerns and show support for continuation of the program.
