Family FAQs

Durham PreK enrolls children that are 4 years old by August 31 of the school year attending.

You can apply online for the 2020-2021 school year in English or in Spanish or download the paper application here. To receive assistance in completing the application, schedule a virtual application appointment by leaving a message at 1-833-PREK-EDU

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, however, we encourage families to apply by May 15th to be considered for all programs. Families are still able to submit an application after the May 15th deadline, but can only be considered for Durham PreK and NC Pre-K private sites, and Head Start classrooms.

An application appointment is not an interview. During your virtual appointment, an application counselor will help complete your application, provide information on how to submit your documents and answer any additional questions. You can find more information on applying for Durham PreK on our Enrollment page. 

Download our preschool flyer in English or Spanish.

(If you do not have an income to report, please be sure to review the parent packet linked above for copies of the Statement of No Income form to be included with the rest of your required documents.)

All families will need to submit the child’s birth certificate, proof of current address (current lease, mortgage statement or utility bill) and proof of one month’s income (one month’s paystubs or letter from employer if paystubs are not available).

The following documents are also considered part of your monthly income, and you will need to provide documentation of any or all that apply to your family:

• Child support (for any child in your household)
• Pension
• SSA/SSI
• Disability
• Alimony payments
• Commissioned Sales
• Scholarships or grants
• Proof of parent enrollment in school
• Financial assistance
• W-2 (self-employed) - required to be considered for a Head Start classroom

We understand not every family will have access to all of these documents. If you,

• are residing with a family member
• do not currently have an income
• are self-employed and paid in cash

our application counselors will help you fill out alternate forms needed to complete the application.

Some families may be asked to provide additional information. Examples include:

• Military families – will need to provide one or all of the following documents, if applicable:
  • Valid military I.D.
  • Separation forms
  • Active Duty income paystubs
  • Proof of Deployment (current or future)
• Children with additional services – will need to provide one or both of the following documents, if applicable:
  • Documentation of a chronic health condition
  • Copy of Private Service Plan

Upon receiving a placement offer, families will nee to submit their child's immunization records as part of the enrollment process.

Child citizenship does not determine eligibility. All 4 year old children in Durham County are eligible for all programs, regardless of citizenship status.

Families can choose to leave the citizenship question blank, but it will limit program options for that child to Durham Public Schools, Durham PreK and Head Start.

In-person application appointments are not currently being scheduled due to COVID-19. Families can call 1-833-773-5338 to schedule a virtual appointment with a bilingual Pre-K Application Counselor.

Families do not need to bring their child to the application appointment. However, you are welcome to do so. We have a play space in our application office, or they can join you while you complete the application. Many families will sign-up for a developmental screening during their application time. This screening will be at a later date and you will be required to bring your child.

The developmental screening is a play-based assessment conducted by an early childhood professional. Families can share about what you see at home with your child's development on a questionnaire completed during the screening. These screenings give us a snapshot of your child’s development and help us to identify children that may have a greater potential academic need. The results are used as a criteria component for some participating programs. Children that complete a developmental screening in the spring are eligible to be considered for all of the pre-K programs that use the universal application. Children who do not get screened in the spring may still be eligible for some programs and will receive their developmental screening once placed in a classroom.

Until further notice, all pre-K screenings for the 2021-22 school year application will be completed over the phone due to COVID-19.

School year 2021-22 applicants will receive a call within a couple of weeks of submitting the application online, by phone or by mail based on the time preference indicated in your online application.

Calls will likely show up as private because staff are working remotely and are using their personal phones. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

For questions about the online application, families can email prek@childcareservices.org or call 1-833-773-5338. For questions about screenings, families can email kelly.cosby@dpsnc.net.