Applying to Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4

Smiling Children

Apply to pre-K 3 or pre-K 4 by March 1, 2027 for the 2027-28 school year.

Pre-Kindergarten

The District provides free pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) education services in its public and public charter schools for residents who meet the pre-K age cut-offs. To be eligible for any school year:

  • Students must be 3 by September 30 to apply to Pre-K 3
  • Students must be 4 by September 30 to apply to Pre-K 4

Families must use the My School DC application to apply to pre-K programs offered by schools that participate in My School DC, including:

  • DCPS pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 programs, including the program in your in-boundary school. Click HERE to locate your DCPS in-boundary pre-K program; and
  • Pre-K programs at public charter schools

Families can apply to up to 12 schools on the My School DC application. However, there is no guarantee of a lottery match or waitlist offer. Click here to view the number of seats offered and historical waitlist length and movement at each participating school. 

 

My School DC encourages families to research all of their public pre-K options. Families can learn about their public school options by using the School Finder, and attending EdFEST – the annual public school fair, and school open houses. Make sure to download these helpful questions by parents for parents to ask of schools and programs when you begin your search. 

 

The District also offers free high-quality pre-K for residents through community-based organizations (CBOs). To learn more about the District’s high-quality community-based pre-K programs, click HERE. Community-based pre-K programs are not part of the public school lottery.

 

Instruction commonly offered in Pre-K

Pre-kindergarten classrooms sometimes follow a program, or curriculum, when deciding what and how to teach. Schools may also create their own program that incorporates aspects of several curricula. The following programs are used by many schools in DC. Check out the school’s profile, call the school, or ask at an open house about the school’s approach to pre-K instruction!

 

Before and After Care

Many schools offer care to their students before and after school, but the programs vary in cost, availability and operation. Use the School Finder and filter by “before care” and “after care”. Contact the school directly to ask about their before and after care programming, cost, and enrollment process. Click here for additional information on income-based child care subsidies. 

 

Information about programs offered through DC Public Schools (DCPS)

DCPS in-boundary Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 programs

An in-boundary school is a DCPS school that a student has a right to attend for grades K-12 based on where the student lives. However, the “right to attend” is not extended to children in pre-K 3 or pre-K 4 and there is no guarantee of a lottery match or waitlist offer. If a family seeks to enroll their student in their in-boundary pre-K 3 or pre-K 4 program, they must select that school as one of their 12 selections on their My School DC application and rank it in the order they like most. pre-K 3 or pre-K 4 applicants will be awarded an “in-boundary” lottery preference at their in-boundary school and, at the time of enrollment, will be required to provide proof of residency at the guardian’s address entered on the My School DC application. 
 

DCPS Early Stages Assessment Center

Early Stages is a DCPS assessment center for children between the ages of 2 years 8 months and 5 years 10 months. Any District resident can seek their free services to identify any developmental delays their child may have and arrange services to address them. Learn more here. 

Information about programs supported by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Pre-K programs through Community-Based Organizations

The District provides free high quality PK education services through publicly-funded community based organizations (CBOs) in DC. These programs are not part of My School DC. Families can search, learn about, and compare these CBO programs and additional child care options through My Child Care DC. A list of these programs can also be found here. Contact these organizations directly to ask about enrollment.