5100.7: Enrollment of Children in Preschool Programs

I. Qualified children may apply for participation in the District’s preschool programs. Qualified children meet the following criteria:

A. Resident Requirement: Children must reside in the District or have one parent residing in the District.

B. Age Requirement: The district provides preschool programming for students who have reached the age of three (3) or four (4) on or before July 31 of the current school year. The District does not provide preschool programming for students who have reached the age of five (5) years on or before July 31 of the current school year.

II. Applications shall be made in accordance with the following application procedures:

A. Applications Open: Applications may be submitted to the Office of Educational Services after September 15 of the year preceding. 

B. Applications Deadline: The deadline for applications is February 15 of the preceding school year.

III. Applications for a preschool program will be approved and placements will be made in the following order: 

A. Qualified children whose family income qualifies them for participation in the federal free or reduced lunch program; English learner; children who demonstrate an academic need; children whose parents are younger than eighteen; children who were born prematurely or at a low birth weight as verified by a physician; children enrolled in Head Start; children of homeless families; foster children; and children of migrant families. 

B. Remaining slots are available for parent pay children subject to NDE Rule 11 and placement will be made in the following order.
i. Qualified children in the school attendance area.
ii. Qualified siblings of children enrolled in the building or program.
iii.Qualified children from elsewhere in the District.

C. In the event that the applications for a preschool program exceed capacity, then a random drawing in the order outlined in Section III(A) above will determine which applications are approved. 

D. The District reserves the right to accept preschool enrollment on an as available basis once the school year begins.

IV. Limitations and Restrictions on Student Eligibility

A. Qualified resident children who are accepted into a preschool program will be assigned back to their home school for kindergarten. If parents wish to enroll their child in a building other than the assigned school, they may apply via the District’s K-12 Within-District Transfer Policy.

B. Students who are accepted into a preschool program may transfer to another preschool program during the current school year only if an opening is available and there is not a wait list. Students may apply for a different preschool program for the subsequent year by following the application steps outlined in Section II above. Applications will be processed in accordance with Section III(A) above.

C. Students who move out of the district do not meet eligibility requirements and are no longer qualified to participate in the District's preschool programs. Such students will be disenrolled from the program.

V. Transportation

A. Transportation for children must be provided by the child's parents or legal guardian unless as otherwise required by law.

VI. Exceptions

A. The District recognizes the configuration of educational groupings unique to specific preschool programs. Such unique configurations may result in the continued participation in said program until such time as the next program grouping is encountered. The District reserves the right to make this determination annually based upon program capacity and other pertinent factors. 

B. Nebraska Department of Education Rule 11 requires Title I funded programs to include children verified as having disabilities pursuant to 92 NAC 51 and to maximize the participation of economically and categorically diverse groups of children. 

VII. Program Qualifications

A. All Early Childhood Programs shall comply with Nebraska Department of Education Rule 11.

B. Nebraska Department of Education Rule 11 states that grant funds shall be targeted toward serving children regardless of their abilities, disabilities, or the social, linguistic, or economic diversity of the children's families. 

C. Early Childhood Special Education services are provided for eligible children birth to age five based upon evaluation of the child’s development. This program is only available to resident children, and children who have at least one parent residing in the District.

D. Montessori Preschool: Open to three and four year olds that have reached that age on or before July 31 of that school year. This program follows the Montessori curriculum and methodologies. Parents may apply to enroll their child in another Montessori Preschool program site for the subsequent year by following the application steps outlined in Section II above. Applications will be processed in accordance with Section III(A) above.