Parents who wish to apply for their child to attend Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ prekindergarten program in the 2023-2024 school year may do so online beginning at noon on Tuesday, May 2, 2022. AACPS offers prekindergarten programs for 4-year-olds in 58 schools and programs for 3-year-olds in eight schools.
For the first time this year and as called for by the Blueprint for Maryland’s future, families will apply for prekindergarten through a centralized online enrollment process that is managed by the Early Childhood Office. Prekindergarten registration is no longer first come, first served. Applications are processed based on priority groups: income eligibility, students with disabilities, students from homes in which English is not the primary spoken language, and students who are homeless.
Information about prekindergarten programs in AACPS and an online application can be found at www.aacps.org/earlychildhood beginning at noon on May 2, 2023.
Children enrolling in 3-year-old prekindergarten must be 3 years old on or before September 1, 2023. Children enrolling in 4-year-old prekindergarten must be 4 years old on or by September 1, 2023. Registration must be done by a parent or legal guardian and proof of identification must be uploaded along with the completed online application.
Public prekindergarten programs in Maryland are designed to improve the school readiness of children who are income eligible for prekindergarten, homeless, have an active IEP, or speak a home language other than English. If seats remain, schools may enroll students with other readiness needs near the end of September. When offered a seat in the program, families applying for prekindergarten must provide:
- the student’s original birth certificate or birth record.
- a copy of the student’s immunization record.
- two proofs of residency (rental or mortgage agreement and current utility bill).
- custody order (if applicable).
Additionally, families must verify their income eligibility when offered a seat by submitting one of the following:
- Federal Income Tax Return (1040 statement), W2 or a C/1099 along with documentation related to other sources of income such as child support and/or rental income for each adult in the household
- Notarized letter of no income for each adult in the household
- Notarized Employment Letter for each adult in the household
- Military Income for each adult in the household
- Current award letter for Temporary Cash Assistance
- Current award letter for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Medicaid documentation
- Documentation from participation is Head Start/Early Head Start/ Even Start
- Documentation for foster care or ward of the state
Each elementary school in AACPS now has an assigned 4-year-old prekindergarten location. Families may only apply to their assigned prekindergarten location. For assistance in locating your assigned prekindergarten location, click on the Prekindergarten Enrollment Areas document found here.
Anyone needing assistance in locating their assigned school, click on the Locate Your School link in the Schools section on the AACPS website, www.aacps.org, or contact the AACPS Planning Office at 410-439-5683 or planningoffice@aacps.org.
Families who do not have internet access or who need additional assistance completing an application should contact the school at which they intend to enroll their student. School staff are able to assist families with completion of the online application.
Information about the recommended immunizations for children entering school is available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/.
Families with further questions or individual concerns can contact the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Early Childhood Office at psaynuk@aacps.org.