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Pre-Kindergarten and Early Childhood Education
Jefferson Parish School's Early Childhood Program provides effective teacher-child interactions that are foundational to young children becoming life-long learners. High-quality early childhood education eases the transition to Kindergarten and is critical to a child's success. Best of all, many families in Jefferson Parish are eligible for free tuition. (Eligibility based on household income and proven need.)
All JP Schools Pre-K programs offer full-day programming, low student to teacher ratios, daily breakfast and lunch, bus transportation within attendance zone and services for students with disabilities.
Enrollment is lottery-based and is NOT first-come, first-served. Publicly-funded programs prioritize enrollment for low-income children and children with identified disabilities. Pre-K4 applications will be prioritized for placement in the child’s attendance zone elementary school. Bus transportation will only be provided within the student’s school attendance zone. Please visit https://jeffersonchild.com/ for more information about Pre-K and early childhood programs in Jefferson Parish.
Applications for Pre-K are currently open.
Application Support Options
Enrollment is NOT first-come, first-served. Dates, times, and locations for in-person appointments vary. Please visit www.picktime.com/registration to schedule an appointment. If you have any additional questions or need assistance with booking an appointment, contact the Pre-K department at 504-349-7696 or 504-349-7912.
Contact the JP Schools Pre-Kindergarten Department
501 Manhattan Blvd.
Harvey, LA 70058
504-349-7696
504-349-7912
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Things to Consider When Registering for PK4
- Child must be four (4) years old on or before September 30, 2024 to apply for a JP Schools PK4 classroom.
- Publicly funded programs prioritize enrollment for low-income children and children with identified disabilities.
- Applications will be prioritized for placements in the child’s elementary school district/zone.
- Bus transportation will only be provided for students within their school attendance zones.
- Only completed applications with ALL required documents will be placed in the lottery system.
- Parents may choose up to three (3) sites for possible placement in the application process.
- Title I classes may be subject to an academic screening.
- Families will receive placement or wait-listed status by E-MAIL ONLY.
- Families will be required to accept or decline placement through their online account.
What You Need to Register
- Identification:
- Parent/Guardian = driver’s license, state-issued ID, or passport (current, NOT expired)
- Foster parent = DCFS papers
- Grandparent=Legal guardianship papers
- Child’s Birth Certificate (Must be clear copy of original certificate)
- Proof of Residency: One of the following and MUST match parent name on application.
- Current utility bill (gas, electric or water ONLY)
- Current legal document issued/approved by the US Office of Immigration/Naturalization showing current address
- Current lease (must have date and show name/address of apartment and name of person(s) leasing apartment)
- Current mortgage statement
- If the proof of residency document is in the name of another adult, that adult must provide dated and signed residency letter certifying that the child and parent(s) live at that address and certifying whether or not they provide support to the child and parent(s).
- Proof of Income (1 or more of the following)
- 2 consecutive check stubs for EACH ADULT ON THE APPLICATION who supports the child; stubs must be issued within 2 months of the date of the application and showing parent/adult name, pay period, hours worked, hourly rate and year-to-date income.
- An official letter signed by your employer on company letterhead stating all of the following:
- Where parent/guardian is employed
- Hourly rate of pay
- The average number of hours parent/guardian works per week
- Date employed and year-to-date income
- Dated and signed Declaration of Income for Irregular Employment Form (can be downloaded at www.jeffersonchild.com under the Registration Info tab) Form must be filled out completely.
- Letter or certificate showing current status of SNAP/Food Stamps – must include the parent and child names and valid effective dates (Certified through ___)
- A statement from the Social Security Administration verifying that the child listed on the application is a recipient of SSI benefits
- A statement from the Social Security Administration for any other household member, which must be accompanied by two current check stubs or other income documentation for each adult in the household.
- Current foster care placement agreement from DCFS. Foster parents are NOT required to upload their income, only the DCFS foster care agreement.
- Parents who are unemployed must submit a dated and signed Statement of No Income Form (can be downloaded at www.jeffersonchild.com under the Registration Info tab); this includes stay-at-home moms & stay-at-home dads.
- Parents who are homeless must contact JPS Homeless Coordinator at 504-365-5331 or come to 501 Manhattan Boulevard to complete an assessment.
- Current/Updated Immunization Records (Valid State of Louisiana Universal Certificate of Immunization)
- 2022 Proof of Income (if applicable)
- Income tax forms for 2022 (W2, 1040A, or 1099) showing parent names and annual income REQUIRED for parents who are self-employed and REQUIRED for applications to Jeff Cap Birth to Five Programs
- Special Education documentation (IEP/IFSP/Evaluation only when applicable)
- For Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) applications, upload current CCAP certificate into Proof of Income upload box. A current CCAP certificate is REQUIRED and CCAP certificate must show certification dates and parent and child names
Next Steps for Site-Based Registration
Once families have accepted their child's Pre-K 4 seat through their Jefferson Child dashboard, they must complete site-based registration for the child to be fully registered. Please check with your child's school in late July or early August for information regarding uniforms, parent orientation, and start date.Tuition Information
Free Tuition for all JPS preschool classes, including the academy schools, is available to children who meet age and income eligibility requirements (200% or less of the Federal Poverty Level). Classes shall be provided at no cost except for the applicable lunch cost to the child or his/her family for any child who is eligible to receive reduced price meals. Tuition will be charged for the months of August through May, for any child who does not meet eligibility requirements (200% or less of the Federal Poverty Level). Families will be required to provide Proof of Income (documentation of gross income with forms found on the PK Department’s web page) in order to determine eligibility for free tuition. 2024-2025 Tuition Scale
Please email the PK Department at echh@jpschools.org or call (504) 349-7912 for clarification regarding eligibility determination for free tuition.
Families who are over the income eligibility requirements for free tuition are encouraged to complete the online application and upload all required documents.
- Families will have the option to select from the drop down menu on the school choice section of the application, one of the following choices:
- To Be Determined West Bank Elementary School Parent Pay option
- To Be Determined East Bank Elementary School Parent Pay option
- All applications will be reviewed and, if all documents are uploaded and correct, the application will be entered into the lottery.
- Once the lottery is run, parents will receive notification via their dashboard and an email that they have been placed on a wait list for unfilled seats.
- At the end of July, parents will receive an additional email with a list of schools available to their child with a deadline to electronically accept /decline the available seat.