Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL)

For a list of participating schools, visit EOEL Public PreKindergarten Program website.

Children must be age 3 or 4 on or before July 31 of the school year applying to. For school year 2026-2027, your child’s birthday must fall on or between August 1, 2021 - July 31, 2023.

In addition to the age requirement, priority is provided to children whose situations include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:

• Children who are eligible for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and whose Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is determined as general education;
• Children who are English as a second language learners;
• Children in foster care;
• Children who are experiencing homelessness or unstable housing;
• Families with Gross Family Income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines OR who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and/or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
• Children who are experiencing at-risk situations which may impact their learning and development.

Yes, submit one online application per child. For each application, you may select up to 3 schools when applying.

For a complete list of participating schools, read more on the EOEL Public PreKindergarten Program website.

Applications open on Monday March 2, 2026 for the upcoming school year.

For the upcoming school year:

March 2, 2026 - June 30, 2026: Priority categories within home school geographic region on a first come, first serve basis

July 1, 2026 - end of school year: First come, first serve basis with preference given to priority category applicants

The EOEL Public Prekindergarten program is free for all children and families.

The EOEL Public Prekindergarten Program schedule is based on the school and DOE’s academic calendar. Typically, most school days start at 8:00 AM and end around 2:00 PM. For the first two weeks of the school year, children and families of EOEL will have an orientation and transition schedule.

EOEL does not offer before and after-school care, and children in the EOEL Public Prekindergarten Program do not qualify for before or after-school care that is provided for DOE students in grades K-12.

Children in the EOEL Public Prekindergarten Program do not qualify for student bus transportation that is provided for DOE students in grades K-12.