Early Learning

Program Requirements: 

• Child must turn four years old by September 1, 2026
• Child must live within the Atlanta Public Schools' attendance zone  
  • Eligibility for Pre-K requires that the student’s primary residence be located within the districts attendance zone at the time of application. Documents indicating future residency, do not qualify a student for eligibility.  Families who plan to move into the attendance zone are eligible to apply once residency has been established. 
• All APS employees are eligible to apply for their child(ren) only.  
• If you are the parent of twins, triplets, etc., you are required to submit one application per child. Before the lottery drawing takes place, each application will be linked to ensure that they are placed at the same site 
• Applicants must have a valid email address to apply 

For the 2026-2027 school year, our district will utilize a tiered lottery system that prioritizes neighborhood continuity while offering flexibility for families who desire school choice.

Priority Tiers

1. Tier 1: Zoned School Requests. Families who select their assigned neighborhood school as their first, second or third choice will receive the highest priority weight in the lottery for their zoned school ONLY.  Not sure which school is in your zone?  Click https://maps.apsk12.org/ to determine the school assigned to your home address.

2. Tier 2: Choice Decisions. This includes families requesting a school outside of their zone and children of non-resident district employees.

School Selection & Choice

• Families may select up to three (3) different locations and should list them in order of preference.  Selecting three sites is optional.  If only interested in one or two sites, leave remaining site selections blank when making selections. 

• Priority is only applied to your Zoned School.  If you apply to a school outside of your zone, your application will be considered after all zoned applicants have been placed.

• Employee Preference: Children of non-resident district employees receive equal consideration to resident families who are exercising "Choice" (Tier 2).

Special Note: Families Without a Pre-K at Their Zoned School

We believe in equity for all families. If your assigned neighborhood K-5 school does not offer a Pre-K program, the Office of Early Learning will "assign" a nearby Pre-K site as your Priority Zone School.  This ensures that every family in the district has a location where they can receive Tier 1 priority.

• Centennial Academy assigned zone site is Hope Hill Elem.
• F.L. Stanton Elem. assigned zone site is M.A. Jones Elem.  
• West Manor Elem. assigned zone site is Peyton Forest Elem.

After the lottery drawing, families whose student(s) are offered a seat at one of their preferred sites will have three days to accept or decline the offer. If a response is not received within three days, the system will automatically decline the seat so it can be offered to another family

The Waitlist Process

If your child is not selected during the initial lottery drawing, they will be placed on the waitlist for all sites applied. Please note that the waitlist is fluid:

• Zoned Priority: Any family moving into a zone or applying after the window closes will be placed on the waitlist based on their Tier status.
• Because zoned applicants (Tier 1) retain priority over out-of-zone applicants (Tier 2), a zoned family may move ahead of a choice family on the waitlist at any time.

Applicants can access the online application through SchoolMint Enroll. Before you begin your application on February 23rd at 9AM, please ensure you have the following digital documents ready:

1. Proof of birth (Your child must be four years old on or before September 1, 2026)

• Original certified birth certificate or passport

2. Proof of legal guardianship (if applicable)

• Only required if your name is not on the child's birth certificate

3. Parent/Guardian proof of identification

• Valid state or government-issued photo ID, such as a Georgia Driver’s license

4. Proof of Parent/Guardian Georgia Residency 

• Mortgage, deed or lease/rental agreement in your name, AND a Power bill in your name; (All other utility bills are not accepted) Your Power bill must be dated within 30 days of your enrollment date.
• A valid lease/monthly mortgage statement(dated within the last 30 days) or deed in the owner's or primary renter's name
• A Georgia Power Bill in the owners' or primary renters' name current within the last 30 days
• Three forms of mail in the parent's name, showing the property address of the homeowner dated within 30 days of your enrollment date

• If you are living with someone, and you do not have a lease, mortgage or deed AND Georgia Power bill in your name, you must submit the following:

  • A valid lease/monthly mortgage statement(dated within the last 30 days) or deed in the owner's or primary renter's name
  • A Georgia Power Bill in the owners' or primary renters' name current within the last 30 days
  • Three pieces of mail dated within the last 30 days showing your name and the homeowners address
  • A signed and notarized Affidavit of Residency form. Download and print a copy of the Affidavit of Residency form.

5. Child’s original Social Security Card OR “Waiver”

• Download the social security waiver.

6. Proof of income (for Pre-K sites with a Head Start partnership ONLY) Review the "Pre-K Sites" tab at the top of the screen to determine if the site(s) that you are interested are Head Start Partnership locations.  If both parents live within the same household, proof of income is required for each parent.

• 2025 W2 or 1040 tax return, 2026 SSI/TANF/SNAP Award or Determination Letter (must show monthly payment).
  • If you did not work, file taxes OR receive public assistance in 2025, please download and complete a Zero Income Declaration form.

7. Child’s Health Insurance card (Peachcare, Medicaid, or Private insurance)
 
8. Proof of food stamps and/or TANF (If applicable)
 
9. Immunization Certificate (3231) 
 
10. Vision, Hearing, and Dental Screening Certificate (3300)

11. Head Start Physical and Dental Form (Needed for Pre-K sites with a Head Start Partnership ONLY)

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit Form 3231 and Form 3300 (Items 9 and 10 listed above) during the lottery application process, as students may be withdrawn from school if these documents are not received. However, most pediatricians will not complete Form 3300 until the child turns four years old. To accommodate this, all applicants are given a deadline of September 1 to submit these forms. Waiting to upload medical information will not affect your lottery application.