Early Childhood Programs

   
Pre-K is not a mandated grade level in New York State, and as such, we have a limited number of available seats. Please note that the SCSD Pre-K program does not provide transportation. Pre-K students are not able to ride the First Student school bus with older siblings, so families will need to make arrangements to bring their child to and from school each day. For any inquiries related to Pre-K placement, please direct your questions to the Pre-K registration office at 315-435-4276 or by email at prekregistration@scsd.us. We kindly ask that you refrain from contacting individual school buildings regarding seat availability, as they do not have access to registration information or waitlists. Thank you for your understanding.

** If your child was born between these dates, they must register for Kindergarten and are no longer eligible for Pre-K. 

Click Here to Register for the 2026-2027 school year:

 

Important Montessori Lottery Information: 

• Submitting an application to Montessori at Delaware or LeMoyne does not guarantee enrollment
• We use an online lottery system as there are limited seats
• The Montessori lottery is open to 3-year-old applicants only
• Seats for 4-year-olds are reserved for currently enrolled Montessori students
  • Any families interested in entering a 4-year-old can email prekregistration@scsd.us to be placed on the waitlist
    • In the event a 4-year-old seat becomes available, seats will be filled from the waitlist
• Families will be notified of the lottery results by June 30th.

To ensure that all children develop the necessary cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills that build the foundation for life-long learning and early literacy; this is accomplished by providing a high quality, safe and nurturing environment, responsive to the culturally diverse and unique needs of each child, through individual and interactive learning opportunities, supported by excellence in teaching and research-based instructional practices aligned with the NYS Learning Standards and the District’s curricula, in partnership with parents, staff, policy makers and community organizations.

1. Enact a research-based, child centered curricula in alignment with the NYS Learning Standards and District’s content area curricula to ensure continuity of programming and a seamless transition to kindergarten.
2. Create and sustain classrooms that develop critical thinking, cognitive, language, pre-literacy and motor skills, and social emotional growth.
3. Establish strong parent/school partnerships.
4. Implement research-based best practices in early childhood instruction, supported by effective professional development, across all programs.
5. Work collaboratively with community early childhood educators to provide high quality educational programs for all resident preschoolers.
6. Systematically measure children’s growth in the critical areas of child development and early reading to identify students who are in need of more intensive instruction and to modify instructional practices.

The Syracuse City School District has been dedicated to providing prekindergarten services since 1966. Initially funded by the New York State Education Department, our program has evolved through various phases, including Experimental PreK, Targeted PreK, and NYS-funded PreK. For over 30 years, these programs served children who met income eligibility guidelines, qualifying for free or reduced meals. 

In 1997, New York State legislation introduced Universal Prekindergarten (UPK), ensuring that all age-eligible children could access prekindergarten education. This initiative also encouraged districts to collaborate with local Early Childhood providers to offer UPK programs to resident children. 

Current Offerings 

Today, the Syracuse City School District offers Universal Prekindergarten programs for resident 3- and 4-year-olds. Our Early Childhood Program has received national and state recognition for its innovative parent involvement and inclusion initiatives, providing standards-based instruction and comprehensive services for all preschoolers and their families. 

Program Details 

• UPK Enrollment: Our UPK program serves over 1,200 district resident 4-year-olds and nearly 750 district resident 3-year-olds through community partnerships and district locations. 
• Funding: Supported by NYSED grants and district funding, we offer both half-day and full-day sessions across 19 school buildings and 10 community-based organizations. 
• Expansion: Since the 2014-2015 school year, the State-Wide Universal Full Day Pre-K program has enabled us to add new classrooms and convert half-day seats to full-day seats for four-year-olds. 
   

Inclusive Education 

One of our program's strengths is inclusive education. We do not have self-contained special education classes for preschoolers with disabilities; instead, all children are included in our district pre-k classes. These programs operate in collaboration with the New York State Office of Early Learning and the Onondaga County Health Department’s Healthy Families office. 

Early Childhood Evaluation Team 

Our Early Childhood Evaluation Team provides comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations for children aged 3 to 5 years who are suspected of having a disability. These evaluations can be conducted in the child's home, childcare center, or at our district’s evaluation center located at STEAM at Dr. King Elementary School. 

Important Dates

• Please stay tuned!

Social Emotional Curriculum:

• Second Step
• Second Step Activation Code: SSPE FAMI LY68 
   

Pre-K Educational Creators:

• Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel
• Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel
• Super Simple Songs - Kids Songs 
   

Early Reading Resources:

• Scholastic
• Story Online
• Raz-Kids