Eligibility Criteria
This criteria determines eligibility into the pre-kindergarten program.
All programs are designed to serve “at risk” students.
Title I Funded Pre-K Sites
Students who are automatically eligible include (documentation is required):
- children who participated in Head Start or a Title I preschool program at any time in the prior two years;
- children who received services under Part C of Title I (migrant education) in the prior two years;
- homeless preschool-age children; and
- children who are in a local institution for neglected or delinquent children and youth or attending a community-day program for these children.
Other preference criteria include (determined by a rubric which includes points for each criteria):
- Completion of application and parent/guardian interview
- Results of student’s FirstStep screening scores (red, yellow, and green).
- Students who are zoned for I-Zone, priority or focused schools
- Students who meet federal income guidelines for free or reduced meals
- In all Title I preschool programs, students MUST be zoned for a Title I school.
Head Start/Title I Sites
Students must be income eligible first, then zoned for the school, and meet other Head Start criteria.
State/Pilot Funded Sites
- Target first those children who are considered to be at risk, with family income that qualifies the child for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program being the first at-risk factor for consideration.
- No student who is over income should be enrolled without prior approval.
- Students must be zoned for a Hamilton County Department of Education Elementary school.