This story is featured in Chalkbeat’s 2024 Philadelphia Early Childhood Schooling Information on efforts to enhance outcomes for town’s youngest learners. To maintain up with early childhood schooling and Philadelphia’s public colleges, join our free publication right here.
Enrolling in Philly’s free, full-day, high-quality preschool applications has been a complicated maze of paperwork, ready lists, and in-person conferences.
However this 12 months, town launched a brand new “common” utility that enables households to use for a number of free pre-Okay applications, together with the college district’s and town’s. Officers from Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration name the brand new utility and web site a “a one-stop store for households to discover public preschool choices.”
There are 5,250 PHLpreK seats throughout town in 228 applications this 12 months, in keeping with Parker’s workplace. In keeping with college district knowledge, one other 3,900 college students are enrolled via PreK Counts, which is funded via the state. And a few 6,000 are eligible via Head Begin, a decades-old federal program geared toward giving kids in low-income households entry to early childhood school rooms.
To qualify without spending a dime pre-Okay in Philly, your little one should stay in Philadelphia and be at the least 3 years outdated to enroll, however households can start the appliance course of earlier. Kids who’re turning 5 on or earlier than Sept. 1 should apply to kindergarten.
The town says the right time to begin the appliance course of is after the winter holidays.
Right here’s a step-by-step information to making use of for pre-Okay in Philly.
What do I must know to get began?
Philly has a number of free preschool choices for households, relying on their earnings ranges.
You should use this software or this software to see what applications can be found in your neighborhood. And use this calculator to verify your eligibility for various applications. There are not any earnings or employment necessities for town’s PHLpreK program, however there are totally different necessities for some facilities which can be funded via the federal Head Begin program or the state’s PreK Counts program.
It’s additionally vital to notice that some — however not all — applications present before- and after-care providers and people can come at an additional price. If that’s vital for your loved ones, make sure you affirm with the college or supplier by giving them a name or an electronic mail. Contact info must be obtainable within the metropolis’s program locator software.
In the event you’re unsure what you’re eligible for, or need somebody to reply your questions, you possibly can name town’s pre-Okay hotline: 1-844-745-7735.
What paperwork will I must have?
After getting an concept of the areas you’d choose and you’re feeling prepared to use, right here’s what you’ll want:
- Proof of kid’s age. That may be a delivery certificates, legitimate U.S. passport, medical data, or another type of government-issued doc together with your little one’s birthdate.
- Proof of household residency. That may be a utility invoice, driver’s license, W-2 tax kind, or present lease or rental settlement.
- Proof of family earnings. That may be both proof of Non permanent Help for Needy Households (TANF), Supplemental Safety Earnings, a W-2 tax kind, a latest pay stub, 1099 kind, meals help program paperwork, or a signed assertion of unemployment.
- Mother or father or caregiver ID. A present state photograph ID, driver’s license, or municipal ID would work.
For some areas, together with applications at public colleges, you may additionally want to offer:
- Baby’s medical health insurance card.
- Baby’s bodily (well being evaluation kind), immunization data, and dental kind.
- Custody order or foster letter if relevant.
- Med-1 kind in case your little one wants medicine {that a} employees member must administer.
- A replica of your little one’s Individualized Schooling Program if they’ve one.
OK, I’m prepared! How do I apply to pre-Okay?
The town’s common utility is right here. That utility ought to cowl any public pre-Okay program within the metropolis, together with these at district colleges. Right here’s a useful step-by-step video for the way to fill out the appliance. You need to plan for this course of to take anyplace from 15 to half-hour to finish.
One thing new this 12 months: You’ll should rank your prime three most well-liked program areas, so do your analysis forward of time and are available ready with a primary, second, and third selection.
The college district additionally has its personal on-line utility should you’re already conversant in their format and would favor to make use of their system.
You too can apply in-person by bringing your paperwork and a filled-out utility kind to your chosen location at its posted hours. The town does say making use of on-line has some perks: Your on-line utility “acts as a receipt” in keeping with its web site. That may permit employees to tug up your utility if in case you have questions and work via it with you.
Who do I discuss to if I’ve questions or issues?
The varsity district gives cellphone help for anybody with questions on this system or registration course of: 215-400-4270.
The town additionally operates a pre-Okay hotline: 844-745-7735 (844-PHL-PREK). You too can electronic mail town’s Workplace of Kids and Households at OCFCommunications@phila.gov.
Philadelphia’s Early Studying Useful resource Middle additionally offers info or steering for the appliance and registration course of. The middle’s cellphone quantity is 1-888-461-KIDS (5437).
Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.