Early Childhood Education

  • Pre-K Registration Open Now

    2025-2026 Pre-K Enrollment

    Columbus City Schools is offering our Pre-K program tuition-waived for the 2025-2026 school year. The Online Registration will open April 1, 2025. Enrollment appointments are no longer required. An income verification document and the Eligibility Screening Tool must be uploaded to the OLR application for all Pre-K students. Please view the enrollment page for other documents needed to enroll. School selections will also begin April 1, 2025 via the Parent Portal after the online registration has been processed. 

    If you have additional questions, please review the Early Childhood Education FAQs. You can also contact 380-997-5192 or email eceenrollment@columbus.k12.oh.us.

Pre-Kindergarten Overview

  • Registration

    Pre-K students must be potty-trained and turn 4 years old by September 30th. If your child will be 5 years old by September 30th, your child is not eligible for Pre-K but is eligible for kindergarten. Because the need for ECE is so great, students who live outside the Columbus City School District will not be considered for Pre-K enrollment.

    Families who need to enroll must complete the Online Registration. If you have registration questions or you would like to schedule an enrollment appointment, please contact our Central Enrollment Center at 614-365-4011. Please take time to thoroughly review the Necessary Documents to ensure that your application is not delayed in processing. An income verification document and the Eligibility Screening Tool must be uploaded to the OLR application for all Pre-K students. Families with no income must provide documentation to explain how they are meeting basic living expenses and can complete the Declaration of Zero Income Form. Parents and legal guardians can complete the SpeedyPass Online Registration form located here

    Enrollment Information

    Once the Online Registration (OLR) is processed, the parent/guardian will receive their Parent Portal activation and additional information via an email from the Enrollment Specialist. The parent/guardian will then need to activate their Parent Portal in order to make their school selection and can place their child on up to three (3) waitlists. If an enrollment offer is made, the parent/guardian will have 48 hours to accept it in the Parent Portal. If the parent/guardian does not respond to the offer, it will automatically be declined.

    Priority Enrollment

    The Early Childhood Education Program will adhere to the Federal Title Fund guidelines for priority Pre-K enrollment for students/families who meet one or more of the following criteria:

    • Foster care youth
    • Families who receive SNAP benefits (food stamps)
    • Families who are in temporary housing (homeless)
    • English-language learners

    Federal Title Fund guidelines also include priority enrollment for students who meet both factors:

    • Students with challenges in literacy and language (information is collected through an online parent survey)
    • Students with challenges in social and emotional behavior (information is collected through an online parent survey)

    Pre-K is open to ALL qualifying students, not just those who meet criteria for Priority Enrollment. Families who do not meet these criteria will be placed on a waitlist and if space is available when Priority Enrollment ends, they will be notified via email on or after July 7, 2025. Waitlisted families should review their Parent Portal often.

    Kindergarten Lottery

    PLEASE READ: Pre-K students enrolled in lottery schools (Columbus Spanish Immersion, Columbus Africentric, Duxberry Park, Ecole Kenwood and Oakland Park) for 2025-2026 will need to participate in the lottery process for 2026-2027 kindergarten enrollment. There is no priority enrollment for kindergarten.  

    For more information about the School Choice Lottery, please contact 614-365-7459 or email schoolchoice@columbus.k12.oh.us.

    Medical Requirement

    It is a requirement of the Early Childhood Education Program that all students have a well-child visit within the last 12 months prior to starting Pre-K.  The medical must be submitted before your child can attend class. It can be faxed to 614-365-8745 or emailed to ECENurses@columbus.k12.oh.us

School Based Health Centers

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Pre-K Forms

Arabic Pre-K Forms

French Pre-K Forms

Nepali Pre-K Forms

Somali Pre-K Forms

Spanish Pre-K Forms

2025 Pre-K Dates

  • ECE Non-Attendance Dates

    2024 - 2025 Calendars

    April 1, 2025 - Families can begin submitting the Online Registration (OLR) for the 2025-2026 School Year. Pre-K families can start making school selections in the Parent Portal after the OLR is processed.

    July 7, 2025 - New Pre-K waitlisted families will be notified via email if space is available. Please continue to check your Parent Portal after this date. 

    July 29 - 30, 2025 - Woodcrest - Orientation (scheduled by school)

    July 31, 2025 - Woodcrest - Students Report - first full day of Pre-K attendance

    September 2 - 3, 2025 - Orientation (scheduled by school)

    September 4, 2025 - All Students Report - first full day of Pre-K attendance

Enrollment Steps

  • You can view the Pre-K Enrollment Guide or follow the steps below:

    1. Gather enrollment documents.
    2. Fill out Speedy Pass online registration.
    3. Upload enrollment documents.
    4. After registration is processed, set up your Parent Portal.
    5. Answer the Pre-K Questionnaire and make your school selection(s) in the Parent Portal.
    6. You will be notified of an enrollment offer or waitlist number.
    7. Submit the Medical and Pre-K Packet.

     

     

     

Pre-K Sites

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