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Poughkeepsie City School District

Together, We are Champions for Children in Poughkeepsie City Schools

Universal Pre-K

Welcome and Bienvenidos to Pre-K!

Registration for the free Universal Pre-K lottery for the 2026-27 school year is now open! 

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Image promoting PreK Lottery Registration with children playing and a rainbow. Information conveyed on the image is included on this page.

Image promoting preschool registration with children playing and a rainbow. Information included on the image is conveyed on this page.

All children who will be 4 years old by Dec. 1, 2026 are eligible to attend the Poughkeepsie City School District’s free Pre-K program during the 2026-27 school year, offered at seven locations around the city.

Click the images above or this link to enter the lottery for a spot in the program. Registration for the lottery is open through Monday, March 23, 2026.

The lottery will be held March 24 and families will then be notified if their child is selected. Should more students join the lottery than there are places in the program, students not selected will be added to a waiting list. Families will then be required to register their child and show proof of age, proof of residence and immunization records (see more details below).

Families who do not join the lottery can still register to attend Pre-K in 2026-27 as space in the program allows.

All registration is in-person at the Jane Bolin Administration Building, 18 S. Perry St. There will be a registration event on an April date to be announced.

Find more information on each program below and contact Ms. Harvard at Central Registration, 845-437-3480 or CentReg@PoughkeepsieSchools.org if you have questions beyond what is listed here.

 

Children play and learn in a colorful preschool classroom setting.Program Highlights

Poughkeepsie’s Pre-K is a free full-day program, five days a week, that follows New York State standards. It features curriculum and activities that are learner-centered and age-level appropriate, which meets the individual needs of children and promotes cognitive, linguistic, physical, cultural, emotional and social development. Activities are designed and provided in a way that promotes the child’s total growth and development in all areas, including emergent English literacy, and students are encouraged to be self-assured and independent to form a solid foundation for their educational journey. A dual language Pre-K program is also available.

  • Classes are offered at district elementary schools, selected community preschools and childcare centered licensed by the state.
  • Schedule follows the district calendar.
  • Transportation is provided to students ages 4 and older who live more than a half-mile from their school.
  • Breakfast and lunch are provided.

A colorful flyer announces Pre-K Lottery Registration is open for the 2026-27 school year. Information conveyed is included on the webpage.

Open House Events

A calendar of open house events at each Pre-K provider with information conveyed already on the webpage.

Pre-K sites

  • 265 Hooker Ave.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603
    8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    845-451-4660

    Before- and after-school programs will be available at a later date.

    Note: Students that opt to attend Pre-K at a district school will be assigned to Krieger or Sojourner Truth by address.

    Open House: Feb. 25, 1:30-3 p.m.

  • 101 Mansion St.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
    8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    845-451-4690

    Before- and after-school programs will be available at a later date.

    Note: Students that opt to attend Pre-K at a district school will be assigned to Krieger or Sojourner Truth by address.

    Open House: Feb. 25, 1:30-3 p.m.

  • 265 Hooker Ave.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12603
    8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    845-451-4660

    Before- and after-school programs will be available at a later date.

    Note: Students that opt to attend Pre-K at a district school will be assigned to Krieger or Sojourner Truth by address.

    Open House: Feb. 25, 1:30-3 p.m.

    Program details:

    The dual language program offered at Krieger Elementary is a two-way bilingual immersion program in which there is a balance of native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. Each class has:

    • An equal balance of English and Spanish speaking students
    • One English language teacher
    • One Spanish language teacher
    • Students learn academic content in both languages
  • 50 Delafield St.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
    8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
    845-452-7726

    No before- and after-school programs available.

    Open House: March 4, 3 to 5 p.m.

  • 70 Hooker Ave.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
    8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
    845-471-4790

    Before- and after-school programs available for an additional cost to the family.

    Note: Families must pick up their children.

    Open House: March 10, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

  • 53 Pendell Road
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
    9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

    845-431-8085

    Open House: March 12, 3 to 5 p.m.

  • 20 Springside Ave.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
    7:45 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.
    845-471-0520

    After-school program available at an additional cost to the family.

    Note: Families must pick up their children.

    Open House: Feb. 20, 9 a.m. to noon; March 11, 9 a.m. to noon

  • 100 Cannon St.
    Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
    8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
    845-801-3537

    Before- and after-school program available at no cost to the family

    Note: Families must pick up their children.

    Open House: March 6, 5 to 7 p.m.

Students who attend high-quality Pre-K programs:

  • Are more likely to graduate high school and generally earn better grades
  • Are more likely to attend an institute of higher education
  • Have longer attention spans and overall better retention of information
  • Have stronger emotional and social intelligences
  • Are less likely to require academic intervention or special education services

 

Kindergarten Readiness Curriculum:

  • Letter and sound recognition
  • Language and listening skills
  • STEAM skills
  • Social/emotional skills
  • Development of fine/gross motor skills

 

Approaches to Learning:

Foundational Literacy Skills

  • Alphabet
  • Print concepts
  • Phonological awareness
  • High-frequency words
  • Fluency

Learning and Developing through Exploration, Inquiry and Play

  • Attempts multiple ways to solve a problem
  • Communicates more than one solution to a problem
  • Engages with peers and adults to solve problems

What children learn in their first few years of life - and how they learn it - can have long lasting effects on success in school and in adulthood

FAQs

  • Under state regulations for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten program, admission cannot be on a first come, first served basis. Accordingly, districts employ a random lottery to ensure all applicants receive a fair chance for admission to the free program. In some cases when there are more spaces than applicants, a lottery is not necessary.

  • Monday, March 23, 2026. The lottery for the 2026-27 school year will be held the following day.

  • Students who receive a spot in the Poughkeepsie City School District universal pre-kindergarten program will be notified soon after. They will need to complete registration and show proof of age, proof of residence and immunization records.

  • No, admission during the lottery period is purely randomized. No other factor, such as a sibling who receives placement or special educational needs, will increase a student’s chances of selection.

  • Yes, but spots in the program are limited. It’s recommended to join the lottery to give your student the best chance for a spot in the free program.

  • Yes, that’s part of the application process available here.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration Information

The Poughkeepsie City School District registers all students through our Central Registration Office from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, by appointment only.

All parents/guardians must complete the following fillable forms. Fillable forms should be saved electronically on your computer and a copy emailed to centreg@poughkeepsieschools.org

Reach us at 845-437-3480.

  • All forms provided are fillable using PDF readers provided on most electronic devices.

    1. Once you open each form, you’ll see highlighted fields in which you’ll type your answers.
    2. Complete the form by filling in all required fields
    3. When you get to the signature line, you may be prompted to create a digital signature, and follow the directions on-screen. If you don’t receive this prompt, move to step 4. Otherwise, move to 4c
    4. Hit the “Save As” or similar button/command
      1. Add your child’s name and a hyphen to the document title IE Avery Smith-PCSD Student Registration and Enrollment Form
      2. Save that document
      3. Verify you have the filled-in form saved
    5. After completing all required forms and saving them, email them to the email address above.

    Mobile phone users: You’ll need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app and open the forms in that. Use the Fill and Sign feature to fill them in and then save as indicated above.

  • In English

    In Spanish

    More forms:

     

    After parent(s)/guardian(s) have filed a complete enrollment application packet with Central Registration Office and have presented the required proofs, Central Registration will request transcripts from student’s previous school and forward the registration packet to the appropriate building. When applicable, selected packet components will be sent to the ESL teacher of the school the child is entering, Student Services, Tech Central and Food Services.

    Once a review of the student’s placement requirements has been completed by the school, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be called by a representative from that school to schedule an appointment to complete the enrollment process. Please be advised that the building principal or guidance counselor will provide the information about student class placement. If class sizes in certain neighborhood elementary schools reach maximum numbers, a new entrant may have to attend another elementary school outside the neighborhood attendance area.

    No student records/files will be retained at the Central Registration Office. Each building is responsible for creating and holding all student files.

    To newly register or re-enroll their child or children, parents need to bring the following:

    Documents Needed to Register (see below)
    Acceptable Proof of Residence (see below)
    Acceptable Proof of Identity (see below)
    Acceptable Proof of Birth/Custody/Immunization (see below)

  • To register your child or children, please bring the following items with you, as we cannot process your registration without these documents. Please be advised that your building principal will provide you with information about student placement. If class sizes in certain neighborhood schools reach maximum numbers, your child may have to attend another elementary school outside your attendance area.

    Required documentation to present when registering

    1. Proof of Identity for the parent/guardian
    2. Proof of Custody for the student (if appropriate)
    3. Proof of Vaccination for the student

              Proof of physical is needed for pre-K and kindergarten students

    1. Proof of Birth for the student
    2. Proof of Residency for the parent(s)/guardian(s)
  • Acceptable proof of residence is:

    A current utility bill, credit card statement showing parent(s)/guardian(s) name and address, rent receipt, copy of a lease agreement showing name, address and signature of both landlord and tenant, notarized letter from their landlord, or some other printed document that requires a response from the recipient (usually financial) and for which, there may be some type of penalty if a response is not received.

    NOTE: If the parent and child are living with another family, proof of residence shall include one of the above for the family they are living with and a notarized letter stating the fact that they are residing with said family.

  • Parents registering children will be asked for proof of their identity. One of the following items will serve to verify a person’s identity:

    1. US Passport (expired or unexpired)
    2. Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)
    3. Certification of Naturalization (Form N-550 of N-570)
    4. Unexpired foreign passport with I-551 stamp or attached for I-94.
    5. Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration (Form I-151 or I-551)
    6. Unexpired Temporary Residence Card (Form I-688)
    7. Unexpired Employment Authorization Card (Form I-688A)
    8. Unexpired Reentry Permit (Form I-327)
    9. Unexpired Refugee Travel Document (Form I-571)
    10. Unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by DHS that contains a photograph (Form I-688B).
    11. Driver’s license, learner’s permit or ID card issued by a state or outlying possession of the United States provided it contains a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color and address.
    12. ID card issued by federal, state or local government agencies or entities, provided it contains a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color and address.
    13. School ID card with a photograph
    14. Voter’s registration card
    15. U.S. Military card or draft card
    16. U.S. Military dependent ID card
    17. U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Card
    18. Native American tribal document
    19. Driver’s license or learner’s permit issued by a Canadian government authority
    20. School record or report card (for persons under age 18)
    21. Clinic, doctor or hospital record (for persons under age 18)
    22. Day-care or nursery school record (for persons under age 18)
    23. New York State DMV Proof of Identity (form MV-45)
    24. Any four of the following
      a) a computer printed pay stub with employee ID number issued in the U.S. that shows name
      b) A high school diploma or GED issued in the U.S.
      c) A supermarket check-cashing card issued in the U.S. with name pre-printed and signature
      d) A union card issued in the U.S.
      e) A health insurance card or a medical prescription card issued in the U.S.
      f) A life insurance policy issued in the U.S. and in effect for at least two years
      g) A utility bill issued in the U.S.
      h) A Veterans Universal Access Photo ID Card
      i) A W-2 form that shows social security number
      j) A bank statement, ATM card, debit card, or valid U.S. major credit card which displays preprinted name and signature (only one of these items issued by a financial institution issued in the U.S may be used.
    25. Certified Birth Certificate or Registration of Birth (must be original or certified copy, have seal and be issued by an authorized government agency such as the Bureau of Vital Statistics or State Board of Health, Hospital issued certificates are not acceptable)
    26. Military discharge or separation papers
    27. Pistol Permit with photograph
    28. Certified Adoption Papers
    29. Court Order (must contain full name, date of birth and court seal. Examples include adoption documents, name change documents, gender change documents, etc. Does not include abstract or criminal or civil conviction.)
    30. Foreign birth certificate (must be translated by approved translator)
    31. Marriage license (certified copy only)
    32. Social Security Card (laminated or metal cards are not acceptable)
    33. Department of Social Services issued photo Public Assistance Card
    34. Baptismal Certificate or similar document
    35. Divorce Decree
    36. Employee Identification from State or Federal Government with signature and photograph and/or physical description.
  • Acceptable Proof of Birth
    Acceptable proof of birth is: birth certificate or passport.

    Acceptable Proof of Custody (Where Applicable)
    Acceptable proof of custody is: legal court papers, district care and custody form, or letter from the Department of Social Services stating student is in care of the county and residing in the district (foster care).

    Acceptable proof of vaccination
    Acceptable proof of vaccination is: the child’s immunization record, a document from the department of health, or a copy of records from a health clinic.