Frequently Asked Questions:
Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program
- What is Pre-Kindergarten?
Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) is an early childhood education program that is designed to effectively prepare preschool age children for kindergarten. High- quality early childhood education, including prekindergarten, helps to ensure that children have a better chance of succeeding in school, work, and life.
Through the Syracuse City School District Universal Pre-K Program, children are provided with a full or half day program that is rich in language and literacy; teaches pro-social skills; encourages parental involvement; is developmentally appropriate; and, is aligned with the New York State Pre-Kindergarten Foundations for the Common Core.
- Who is eligible for Pre-Kindergarten?
Under the New York State Universal Pre-kindergarten guidelines, the Syracuse City School District is privileged to offer prekindergarten programming to residents of the City of Syracuse. 4 year old children born between 12/2/10 and 12/1/11 are eligible to apply for Pre-K. 3 year old children, born between 12/2/11 and 12/1/12 are also eligible to apply (half day programming only). Three year old students are placed once all four year old seats are filled.
- Is Pre-Kindergarten mandatory?
No. Enrolling in Pre-K is optional.
- What happens if I withdraw my child from the Pre-K program and want to reenroll?
If you withdraw your child or decide not to send him/her for an extended period of time, you will be required to reenroll your child in the program. Please note that if your child is withdrawn and reenrolled, the district cannot guarantee that he/she will be reassigned to the same school. Placement will be based on space availability.
- Is there a cost associated with Pre-Kindergarten?
No. Pre-K is a free program.
- Is transportation provided for Pre-Kindergarten students?
Pre-K students are not eligible to ride district school buses. Therefore, families are responsible for transporting their children to and from the prekindergarten program.
- How do I register my child for Pre-Kindergarten?
You can register your child online by visiting www.enrollinsyracusecityschools.com and clicking on the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Enrollment bar at the top of the page. You can also visit or contact the Student Registration Center at 435-4545 or Pre-Kindergarten Office at 435-4276 to schedule an appointment to register your child.
In order to register a child for a Pre K site, you must first register your child in their SCSD Home School, then you will be the opportunity to request up to two additional Universal PreK sites.
- What school or program will my child attend?
We will begin by assigning your child to his/her home school. This school is designated based on your current home address. If you are interested in requesting a transfer to another school or to a agency site, you may do so during the Pre-K - 8 transfer period of May 1 – May 31. These options will be granted based on space availability, sibling preference (brother or sister attending the school) and quadrant preference (a school located within your quadrant but is not your home school).
- How will I know where my child will attend school next year?
If you provide your email through the online process, you will receive an email confirming your child’s placement. For those families completing an application through our Universal Pre-K agency partners, the Pre-K Office will send you a letter confirming your child’s placement for the 2015-16 school year.
