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Pre-Kindergarten Georgia's Lottery-Funded Pre-Kindergarten Program [Note: The following is a very condensed version of the Family Handbook for the Georgia Pre-Kindergarten program. You can download the entire handbook directly from the official web site: http://www.decal.state.ga.us/PreK/Parents_FamilyHandBook.html] Georgia's Pre-K Program provides appropriate activities and learning experiences that help prepare young children for school. The term school readiness means that children are socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively prepared for continued success in kindergarten. Georgia's Pre-K Program helps children become independent, self-confident, enthusiastic learners. Participation in the program encourages children to develop good habits and daily routines. Georgia's Pre-K Program encourages teachers to adopt child-centered instructional practices based on the interests and the developmental skill levels of each child. Research shows that children benefit most when instruction is child-centered. Child-centered instruction allows teachers to facilitate learning in a rich environment that fosters children's initiative, exploration, and collaborative interaction with peers and adults. To ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten, children with possible special needs will be referred to the proper source or agency for access to and coordination of health and other services. Families are also provided with information and assistance, if requested, in gathering required documentation necessary for their child's enrollment in kindergarten. Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning provides summer activity kits that will continue to help prepare children for kindergarten. Eligibility and Enrollment RequirementsGeorgia's Pre-K is a public/private partnership. A child may not be denied from registering or enrolling in the program, but parents must complete certain requirements for the child to attend.A child must be a resident of Georgia and be four years of age on September 1 of the current school year to be eligible for participation. Acceptable proof of age must be on file the day the child begins the Pre-K program. Children who are five years of age on September 1 of the current school year and have late birthdays (birthdays in June, July, and August) or have delayed language and/or social skills or small physical size which would impact their readiness for school may enroll in the Pre-K program at the request of their parents IF they did not attend the Pre-K program as four-year-olds. Parents are encouraged to consider the child's date of birth, physical/emotional maturity, and prior experiences when making the decision about whether to enroll the child in the Pre-K program at age four or five. Children are eligible to attend Georgia's Pre-K for one year only. Five-year-old children who attend Georgia's Pre-K Program cannot have attended the program as a four-year-old. Parents of five-year-old children will be asked to sign a Parent Acknowledgement Form, given to them by the Pre-K provider, indicating that their child did not previously attend Georgia's Pre-K Program. The following documents must be on file for a child to remain in Pre-K:
Examples of acceptable proof of age include: original/certified birth certificate with number or seal, passport, green card, pink card, or Federal I-94 card, or hospital record of live birth. Immunization forms and Medicaid cards are not acceptable documentation for proof of age. Check with your provider to determine if your documentation is acceptable. You will also be asked to provide proof of Georgia residency. Examples of proof of residency include but are not limited to: lease, driver's license, letter from shelter or employer, and any utility bill except a telephone bill. Alternate contact information is not only required by state law but is essential in the event of an emergency. Remember to keep this information updated by notifying your Pre-K provider of any changes. Curriculum ChoiceA school or child care learning center that is part of Georgia's Pre-K Program will use a curriculum that has been approved by Bright from the Start. Each curriculum ensures that children develop skills in language/literacy, math, science, social studies, creative, physical, social and emotional areas.School Choice and Space AvailabilityGeorgia's Pre-K Program operates in both private child care learning centers and public schools. Both delivery systems offer the same quality program.A list of approved Pre-K program providers and sites is available through Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. Call our local number, 404-656-5957, or our toll-free number, 1-888-4GA-PREK, to request a list of sites in your desired geographic area or to ask any questions about a particular program. Visit our website at http://www.decal.state.ga.us for an on-line search for Pre-K providers by zip code or county. Families may choose any site in the state for their child's Pre-K experience provided there are spaces available and public school attendance zone restrictions are considered. Pre-K providers maintain waiting lists with the names of children unable to enroll at their sites due to limited availability. Upon registering your child in Georgia's Pre-K Program, you will be asked to complete a registration form. This form will help identify children who are on a waiting list and locations where additional classes may be needed. Should additional Pre-K classes become available in identified areas, families of those children on the waiting lists will be contacted by the provider. Program InformationYour child must be four years of age on September 1 of the current school year in order to participate in Georgia's Pre-K Program. This age requirement is consistent with the Georgia public school kindergarten age entrance policy (children must be five years of age on September 1 of the current school year in order to enroll in public school kindergarten). You will be required to produce a birth certificate, passport, or official documents verifying the birth date of your child. Immunization information required by law must also be submitted within 30 days of the start of your child's prekindergarten program. A Certificate of Ear, Eye and Dental Examination can be obtained from a private physician or county health department and must be completed within 90 days of the start of your child's prekindergarten program. Documentation requirements are included on page 3 of this handbook.Georgia's Pre-K Program operates for 180 days per year. The calendar is determined by the provider and may vary within any given community. The core instructional program is 6.5 hours per day and may begin as early as 7:30 a.m. Families enrolling children in the program must agree to send the child the full 6.5 hours of instructional time, five days per week for the entire 180 days. Staff/Child RatiosEach Pre-K classroom will have one lead teacher and one assistant teacher. The only exception to this requirement is during the one-half to one-hour rest period when only one adult is required.Reasonable Fees Associated with Georgia's Pre-K ProgramThe 6.5 hour core instructional program is provided at no charge to the parents. If you choose to participate in "extracurricular activities", however, fees may be assessed. These include, but are not limited to: insurance, school photographs, T-shirts, uniforms, etc.Be sure to ask your prekindergarten provider for a fee schedule explaining all applicable charges, including the child care learning center's policy for holidays and vacation days. You may choose to request information about fees from several providers in your community. This information will help you determine the average range of fees in your area. Additional InformationAdditional information about Georgia's Pre-K Program is available through your Pre-K provider. Information is also available through the world wide web at the following address: http://www.decal.state.ga.us. In addition to specific programmatic information, such as the Pre-K Providers' Operating Guidelines and site listings, you will find a number of Best Practices lessons you may use to help your child learn at home the way children learn in Pre-K. |
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