Pre-Kindergarten

WCSD UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN (UPK) PROGRAM

and PRE-KINDERGARTEN

Each year that the Worcester Central School District intends to offer pre-kindergarten program services which will consist of New York State grant funded Universal Pre-Kindergarten and District funded Pre-Kindergarten, the District will publicly post this registration process on the District website. The registration period will start in the month of February of the school year preceding the start of the program. To be eligible, students must turn 4 years old by December 1st of the upcoming school year. Registration will open on the first business day and end at the close of business on the last school day in the month of February. Upon the closure of the registration period, the District will evaluate the number of applicants and the number of places available in the Universal Pre-Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten Program. Provided there are sufficient registrations WCSD will provide pre-kindergarten services for the following school year. Generally, there must be a minimum of 10 Universal Pre-Kindergarten students in order to offer either pre-kindergarten program. Provided there are enough students, applicants will only be considered registered and not yet enrolled.

The School District is required by Section 3602-e of the Education Law to establish a method for selecting eligible children to receive Universal Pre-Kindergarten program services on a random selection basis where there are more eligible children than can be served in a given school year. The selection process is as follows:

If the program offered is for a half-day, the District reserves the right to place children in either the morning or afternoon session. In the event that there are more applicants than places for either the Universal Pre-Kindergarten or Pre-Kindergarten program available in any given year, the District will conduct a random lottery drawing. Only district resident students will be drawn for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program. District policy does allow for out of district students of WCSD staff members to be considered for placement in the Pre-Kindergarten Program, however, staff students would only be included if there is enough room in the entire Pre-Kindergarten program. Any children who are not selected shall be placed on a randomized waiting list, and will be notified if and when placements in the program become available.

If, after the close of the registration period there are additional seats available, the District may admit additional applicants on a rolling basis until the spots are filled. If additional applications are submitted after rolling admissions have filled all spots, those children will be added to a waiting list in the order that they apply, and will be notified if and when placements in the program become available.

WCSD Pre-Kindergarten Lottery

The lottery process will be as follows: 

• The lottery will be conducted by the school principal and at least two school employees.
• Each potential student will be assigned a unique identifier.
• One unique identifier at a time will be chosen through a random lottery system.
• The first 18 students drawn in the lottery will be offered a seat.
• Any remaining students will be placed on a waiting list in the order in which they were drawn.
• Staff children will be added to the waiting list after the lottery is completed.
• In the event there are multiple staff children registered, a similar lottery process will be conducted.
• If your child is selected for a seat for the pre-kindergarten class, you will then receive a confirmation form which will need to be completed and returned to WCS to ensure your child’s enrollment.
• Failure to complete the confirmation form by the designated date will result in your child’s loss of placement and the seat will be offered to the next eligible applicant.