Pre-K application process transitions to online only

Due to the districtwide closure and current restrictions involving social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the application process for pre-K is now online only.

HISD is currently accepting applications for its full-day pre-K program at schools across the district, offering more 3- and 4-year-old students in our community with the opportunity to attend a high-quality program that will build a strong foundation of learning.

Due to precautions surrounding the coronavirus, pre-K application and enrollment timelines have been adjusted:

  • Phase 1 applications closed on February 28
  • Phase 1 TEA Eligible notification moved to June 1 (formerly May 1)
  • Phase 2 pre-K applications opened on March 1 for TEA eligible pre-K 4(March 1 – August 24)
  • Phase 2 waitlists open 14 days after each Phase 1 notification date
  • Phase 3 pre-K 4 Tuition-based and pre-K 3 application notifications have moved to June 21 (formerly June 1)

How to enroll

Complete a pre-K application by visiting ChooseHISD.com or www.houstonisd.org/prek and uploading the documentation listed below:

  • Parent income (check, award letter, child support, SSD)
  • Proof of address (utility bill such as light, gas, water, or lease)
  • Child’s original birth certificate
  • Child’s immunization record
  • Parent identification

Who can enroll

To be eligible for enrollment in a free, full-day pre-K program, a child must:

  • Be 4 years of age on or before September 1 of the enrolling school year and a resident of HISD.

And meet one of the following criteria:

  • Unable to speak and understand English
  • Economically disadvantaged (eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program)
  • Child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces
  • Has ever been in state foster care
  • Homeless (no documents needed to enroll)
  • Child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award

Students who attend pre-K in the 2020-21 school year will benefit from engaging, age-appropriate, hands-on instruction, as well as:

  • High-quality teachers in every classroom
  • Optional bilingual classrooms
  • After-school care (available at some campuses)
  • Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Support to address mental and physical health, food and housing needs, and more
  • Parent education classes
  • Participate in HIPPY program

Children must live within HISD boundaries but do not have to be zoned to a specific campus to attend a pre-K program. A recent Rice University study found that HISD’s pre-K program significantly increases kindergarten readiness after as little as one year compared with students who do not attend pre-K. Research also shows that students who attend pre-K perform better in K-12 education, are more likely to graduate and earn higher wages as adults.

For more information about HISD pre-K application, email studenttransfer@houstonisd.org

For more information about the pre-K program, email curriculum@houstonisd.org.