All children who will be 4 years old on or before December 1 of that school year and who live within the ICSD boundaries are eligible to apply for pre-K. Caregivers must complete the ICSD pre-K application by June 15 (if spaces remain, applications received after the 15th will be considered).

Placement in the Universal Pre-K (UPK) program is determined each year by a lottery drawing, held during the last week in June. If the UPK program fills up before all names are pulled from the lottery, the remaining students will be placed on a waitlist and caregivers will be notified if a spot becomes available.

The ICSD pre-K program also offers Head Start seats for children. Head Start programming offers services to families whose income is at or below the federal poverty guidelines. Head Start supports the whole family, not just the children enrolled in the program.

All enrollment through Preschool Special Education Program 9160 (Special Class Integrated Setting) occurs through the Committee on Preschool Special Education and is exempt from this process.

FAQs - Early Childhood/Pre-K

How old does my child have to be for pre-K?

How much does the ICSD's pre-K cost?

How do students get selected for pre-K?

When will I find out if my child has been accepted for pre-K?

Why does the Ithaca City School District require income documents?

How does the Ithaca City School District's pre-K funding work?

Which schools have pre-K?

What are the hours of ICSD pre-K?

Where can I find after-school child care?

Is busing provided for after-school child care?

What community sites partner with the ICSD pre-K program?