Pre-Kindergarten application process

1. Pre-Kindergarten application process School Trainings February 19th & 26th 2014

2. Session outcomes • Reexamine the application process including guidelines for categories of student placements • Share best practices for supporting families • Review the Pre-K School Pairings • Discuss student attendance • Address school questions and concerns

3. Supporting the application process • Keep any/all applications regardless of their acceptance into the program. • You will need/want these later if/when openings arise. • Accept partial applications and collect additional required pieces as parents provide them to you. • Offer times for application outside of the normal school day between March 17th – March 28th. • There are no Spring conferences this year and this was a time families typically would obtain application materials.

4. Application process • Begins March 17, 2014 • FCPS Pre-Kindergarten Application Form • Proof of income/foster care to qualify as automatic • Proof of participation in Head Start, Family Literacy, or Special Education Pre-K to qualify as high priority • Proof of documented disability or ELL to qualify as high priority • See risk factors for qualification as priority placements on the application form • Submit applications to the child’s home school • Update your numbers and submit to ECE Office • Consider your school population • August 1st – High priority placements • August 10th – Low priority placements • Leaving a minimum of 3 slots for late automatic placements

5. Automatic guidelines • Children who are eligible for free and/or reduced lunch • Proof of income is required • Children who are in foster care • Documentation is required • Category remains open all school year and any students eligible must be offered a pre-k placement • Area director will determine home school/alternate location placement if classes are filled • No transportation to alternate schools is provided

6. HIGH PRIORITY GUIDELINES • Participation in Head Startor Family Literacy • Documentation is required • Letter/report card from program • IEP form • Children who do not speak English • Must be assessed by representative of the ELL office • Children with a documented disability • Includes hearing, speech, vision, and physical disabilities • Documentation is required • IEP form • Infants and Toddlers report • Letter from a pediatrician

7. Low priority guidelines • Limited to risk factors on the application form • Applicants taken in order of need on August 10th as decided by school administrator/designee if available spots remain after placing automatics and high priority categories of students. • After August 10th applicants may be accepted by date of application if available spots remain after placing automatics and high priority categories of students.

8. others • Not accepted into the program unless approved by area Director. • Acceptance of these applicants occurs only when extraordinary circumstances exist. • At the time of application parents should be informed of the unlikely nature that their child would be accepted.

9. Pre-K Pairings • 21 Pre-K school sites • Additional schools are “paired” with these locations • Share this information with parents when they are applying

10. Out of districts • Indicate an out-of-district request with the application forms • Email your school director and ECE office for notification • Director and ECE office will meet to determine a decision • No transportation is provided if the request is approved

11. attendance • Monitor student attendance closely • Communicate as needed with families to determine if there are extenuating circumstances affecting a child’s attendance • Provide support if possible to encourage regular attendance • Send the “Sample Attendance Letter” if appropriate

12. forms • All forms/handouts have been provided today. • You will also receive an email following today’s session with electronic copies of all forms. • Please note updates/revisions to forms have been made so it will be necessary to replace any previous copies you may have.

13. questions • ECE Office • 301-696-6864 • Shelly.Tribett@fcps.org • Catherine.Nusbaum@fcps.org • Michele.Baisey@fcps.org