DeKalb County School District Lottery Funded Pre-Kindergarten Frequently Asked Questions

2022-2023 Pre-K Online Pre Lottery Participants

This section provides information to parents/guardians who are interested in completing the application process for the 2022-2023 Pre-K online lottery. Be sure to read all remaining sections in this document for next steps.

What is the age requirement for a student to enroll into Pre-K?

To be eligible for the 2022-2023 school year, your child’s date of birth should be on or between the following dates: September 2, 2017 -September 1, 2018.

If my child lives outside of the DeKalb County School District's (DCSD) attendance zone, is he/she eligible to participate in the Pre-K Program?

No. If your home address is not zoned for DeKalb County School District, you are not eligible to participate. If you are unsure if your address is zoned for DCSD, go to http://www.dekalbschoolsga.net/operations/school-locator/ to verify.

Am I allowed to apply for more than one school?

No. You may register for either a theme school, if applicable, or your home school. If you choose to register for a theme school and are not selected, you will automatically be placed on the waitlist. After the first week of school, if there is room at your home school, you are welcome to register for a seat at your home school.

What if my child is eligible for Kindergarten, but did not participate in a state funded Pre-K program, are they still eligible to enroll in Pre-K?

To be eligible for the 2022-2023 school year as a Pre-Kindergarten student your child must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that identifies the need to spend their Kindergarten year in an inclusion (co-taught) Pre-K classroom.

Does my child have to be potty trained to enroll in Pre-K?

Your child is expected o be able to take care of self-help tasks such as dressing, undressing, and toilet needs. Children should be potty trained prior to entering Pre-K. Parents will be called should an accident occur and will be required to come to school to change their child. Students are not to wear pull-ups to school unless outlined as a part of Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan and the child is in a collaborative class, so he/she can be assisted by a special needs’ teacher/aide.

As a DCSD employee do I receive automatic enrollment into the Pre-K lottery?

No. As a DCSD employee, you must go through the same lottery process as everyone else. However, there are specific stipulations before employees can enter the Pre-K lottery. Please contact your school principal or the Early Childhood Office for the DeKalb Pre-K Lottery Employee Participation Memo.

My child has an IEP and is not currently enrolled in the DCSD. Will they remain at my home school if he/she is picked in the lottery?

If an applicant with a current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is selected to attend a Bright from the Start (BFTS) general education Pre-K classroom, the applicant may possibly be moved to a BFTS inclusion classroom based on the student’s individual needs. NOTE: Theme schools do not house BFTS inclusion classrooms.

My three-year-old child has an existing IEP and is already enrolled in a DCSD exceptional needs class, should I register for Pre-K?

No. While Pre-K Lottery students are selected in a random lottery selection process, students with Individual Education Plans (IEP) receive a special education placement as part of an IEP team decision that considers the unique, individual needs, student supports, and services required by the student's IEP. Before entering the Pre-K Lottery, if you have questions about the early childhood setting most appropriate to address your child's needs, it is recommended that you contact your child's IEP case manager, Lead teacher for Special Education or the Department of Exceptional Education @ https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/exceptional-education

What documents are required for a student to register for the Pre-K lottery?

Proof of birth, proof of legal guardianship (if parent/guardian name is not on the birth certificate), parent/guardian proof of identification, and proof of residency. A comprehensive list of all required documents, with detailed information, can be found by clicking on the “Online Registration Process” button or on the following link https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/pre-k/

I am ready to apply for the 2022-2023 Pre-K Online Lottery, what should I do next?

After reading the remainder of this document in its entirety, you should follow the steps outlined for the online application registration process. Detailed information can be found by clicking on the “Online Registration Process” button found on the following link https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/pre-k/

2022-2023 Pre-K Online Post Lottery Participants

This section provides information to parents/guardians who participated in the 2022-2023 online lottery process and were notified of receiving a seat or placed on the waitlist. Be sure to read the last section titled, Important Information for All.

What are my next steps if my child was awarded a seat in the lottery?

If your child was awarded a seat in the lottery, your school will be contacting you shortly. Follow the directions from your “awarded seat” email pertaining to the uploading of the remaining required documents for the Pre-K program. The school may require a document to be resent if it was illegible or out of date. If necessary, the school will request that any missing document either be uploaded in your application dashboard or to be sent electronically via email. The remaining document list is sent to all parents/guardians after the lottery, if they were awarded a seat, but can be easily accessed on the Pre-K district website at: www.dekalbschoolsga.org/pre-k for reference.

What if I can’t provide the Health Immunization form 3231 by the indicated registration date on the acceptance letter?

DCSD policy states that a child must have their Health Immunization form 3231 on file within 30 days of the child starting school or the expiration date. If it is not provided, the child will not be able to return to class without the form or proof of an appointment. The child will not be able to return after the appointment without an updated form. Should the child be absent for 10 consecutive days due to this form not being provided the child’s seat in Pre-K will be forfeited.

What are my next steps if my child was placed on the waitlist during the lottery process?

Any student who was not selected for a lottery seat is automatically placed on the waitlist. The system numerically orders students on the waitlist. An email was sent to notify the parent/guardian of the child’s placement on the waitlist. As seats are declined or forfeited, the school will notify the next family on the waitlist. At that time, you will be required to complete the next steps to secure your child’s seat. The school will identify the registration designee and reach out to the parent/guardian with instructions for the documents to be sent electronically via email.

New Applicants Who Did Not Participate in the 2022-2023 Pre-K Online Lottery

This section provides information to parents/guardians who were not able to participate in the 2022-2023 online lottery process and /or sent a waitlist application to the local school. Be sure to read the last section titled, Important Information for All.

How can I apply for a Pre-K seat for my child if my family did not participate in the lottery?

Begin by reaching out to the school to see if there is an available seat. If there is an open seat, please proceed to the next question. If they do not have available seats, you are welcome to fill out a waitlist application and send it electronically via email to the school’s registration designee. If you are not sure who the school’s registration designee is, please contact the school. The waitlist application can be found at the bottom of the page, under the “Apply Now” button, on the district Pre-K website. www.dekalbschoolsga.org/pre-k.

What are the next steps to register for Pre-K if the school has an available seat?

Complete the 2022-2023 New Student Registration Application by contacting your local school directly to complete the application process.

What happens after I complete the 2022-2023 New Student Registration Application?

Your local school will contact you to share information pertaining to documents that are required to complete the registration process.

What documents are required for a student to register for Pre-K?

A comprehensive list of all required documents can be found by clicking on the “Lottery Process” tab found on the following link https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/pre-k/.

Important Information for All

What if I cannot provide the Health Immunization Form 3231 by the start of school?

DCSD policy states that a child must have their Health Immunization form 3231 on file within 30 days of the child starting school or the expiration date. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, please email your school if you run into difficulty with obtaining and sending this document electronically. The District will continue to monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and make future decisions based upon the guidance from the DeKalb County Board of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Public Health. If the form is not provided within 30 days once the school reopens, the child will not be able to return to class without the form or proof of an appointment. The child will not be able to return after the appointment without an updated form. Should the child be absent for 10 consecutive days due to this form not being provided the child’s seat in Pre-K will be forfeited.

What if I cannot provide the Hearing, Vision, Dental, and Nutrition Form 3300 by the start of school?

DCSD policy states that this form must be on file within 90 days of the child starting school or the expiration date. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, please email your school if you run into difficulty with obtaining and sending this document electronically. The District will continue to monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and make future decisions based upon the guidance from the DeKalb County Board of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Public Health. If the form is not provided within 30 days once school reopens, the child will not be able to return to the class which may result in the child being withdrawn from the program.

Is there an attendance policy for Pre-K students?

Yes, there is an attendance policy for Pre-K students. Due to COVID-19, attendance modifications have been established. Students are expected to participate during the Pre-K day which consists of 1-1.5 hours of virtual instruction and then the remaining time completing the at-home daily activities provided by the Pre-K teacher. On days that the lesson will be missed, due to appointments or other unseen events, make-up work will be provided by the Pre-K teacher. Once schools re-open, students are expected to be in attendance for the full instructional day during the entire school year. If a child is absent or late ten consecutive days without a medical excuse, the child will be withdrawn from the class per the guidelines established by Bright from the Start. Additionally, the counselor and/or social worker will contact parents/guardians if a child has a pattern of being chronically late or leaving school early.

What if my child must take prescribed medication during the day?

Upon registering your child for their Pre-K seat, be sure to bring the medical information with you. The school will have someone on-site to talk to you about medical forms and the procedures to administer prescribed medication.

Are there any participation requirements for Pre-K parents/guardians?

Yes, parents/guardians are expected to participate in all scheduled parent/guardian meetings and conferences at least twice a year and more often if necessary. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meetings will occur virtually. The school and/or Pre-K teacher will notify you when the meeting/conference times occur and provide the appropriate links to join the virtual meeting/conference. (Once schools re-open, these activities will last approximately one hour).

What happens if my child is not present for the first day of school?

All lottery selected students are expected to be present and accounted for on the first day of school. If your child is not in attendance by 10:00 AM on the first day of school, the seat will be forfeited and given to the next person on the waitlist.

Describe the virtual remote learning experience for Pre-K students as school begins.

The Pre-K teacher will provide a 4-week, at-home activities sheet for all Pre-K students that can be completed without using technology. The at-home activities are issued every four weeks during virtual learning and capture Literacy, Math/Science, Social Emotional, and Gross Motor/Movement learning concepts to explore and learn. The Pre-K teacher will provide a learning link that can be accessed from any electronic device.

Is there an attendance policy for Pre-K students?

Yes, students are expected to be in attendance for the full instructional day during the entire school year. Children who do not attend class or are late ten consecutive days without a medical excuse must be removed from the class as per state guidelines. Additionally, students who exhibit a pattern of chronically late or early release may be in jeopardy of forfeiting their seat and will be referred to the counselor and/or social worker.

What if I have a question that has not been addressed in the FAQ?

Feel free to contact the Office of Early Childhood at PreKRecords@dekalbschoolsga.org