Prekindergarten Information

Purpose

The Port Washington Union Free School District conducts an annual lottery to allocate available prekindergarten (PreK) seats in accordance with New York State Education Law §3602-e. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the selection process is fair, transparent, and compliant with all State requirements.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a child must:

• Reside within the Port Washington Union Free School District boundaries; and

• Turn four (4) years old on or before December 1 of the school year for which enrollment is sought.

Separate lotteries are held for the Universal Prekindergarten Program and the Targeted Prekindergarten Program (for economically disadvantaged families, as defined by NYSED).

Targeted PreK Program

The Targeted PreK Program is reserved for families who are economically disadvantaged.  Economically disadvantaged students are those who participate in, or whose family participates in, economic assistance programs such as the free or reduced-price lunch programs, Social Security Insurance (SSI), Food Stamps, Foster Care, Refugee Assistance (cash or medical assistance), Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Safety Net Assistance (SNA), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) or Family Assistance: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). If one student in a family is identified as low income, all students from that household (economic unit) may be identified as low income.  Please fill out the forms and attach all supporting documentation. 

Application Procedures

Families must submit a completed district PreK application by the annual deadline posted on the district website. Applications are verified by the district to confirm residency, age, and, where applicable, eligibility for the Targeted PreK Program.

Random Selection Process

All eligible applicants are assigned a unique number and entered into a computerized random selection system.

• The drawing is conducted under the supervision of the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment (or designee) and the District Clerk.

• The lottery is conducted publicly and recorded to ensure transparency.

• No preference or priority is given except as expressly permitted by State law (e.g., returning students, siblings where applicable, or CBO collaboration requirements).

Compliance Monitoring

The district maintains a written record of the lottery process, including applicant lists, randomization results, and verification logs. Records are retained for audit and review by the New York State Education Department. Compliance is monitored annually by the Assistant Superintendent, who ensures that the process follows this policy and any subsequent NYSED guidance.

Waitlist Procedure

Following the random selection, a waitlist is automatically generated in the same randomized order.

• Families of waitlisted students are notified in writing.

• As vacancies occur, seats are offered in waitlist order.

• The waitlist remains active through the start of the school year.

Community-Based Organization (CBO) Participation

In addition to district-run classrooms, Port Washington UFSD collaborates with approved Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to provide PreK opportunities for eligible residents.

• Families wishing to be considered for a CBO placement must identify the CBO on their application.

• The district conducts a random lottery for CBO slots under the same procedures described above.

• The district notifies both the CBO and the selected family and maintains a separate waitlist for CBO placements.

Notification of Results

Families are notified of lottery results by email or mail within five (5) business days of the drawing. Notification includes whether the child was selected or waitlisted, the next steps for registration, and contact information for questions.

Annual Review

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as needed to reflect changes in NYSED guidance or Education Law §3602-e.