State-Funded Pre-K

PreK Enrollment Event
NISD Administration Building
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 11

Pre-Kindergarten registration for students who meet the state-funded eligibility guidelines will begin April 1.

You need to have the following enrollment documents ready to upload when registering:

Birth Certificate
Immunizations
Parent Driver's License
Proof of Residency
Social Security Card

Eligibility Guidelines

Please check below for eligibility guidelines and documentation needed for the state-funded Pre-K program offered at no cost for those that qualify.

Registration is completed when all registration and eligibility documents have been received and approved. Incomplete registrations cannot be processed.

Eligibility	Documentation Needed
Language Be unable to speak and comprehend the English language	Eligibility is determined by language assessment. Once your online registration is complete you will be contacted by the Language Testing Center to make an appointment for the language assessment.
Economically Disadvantaged The student is eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program	Eligibility determined by the total combined household income and the number of family members in the household. Income is determined by the gross income. One month of income documentation is required. 2025-2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines for Determining Free and Reduced Price Benefits
Military Be the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority; (mobilized) or is the child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on active duty	DoD ID for active duty military Documentation for Texas National Guard members or military reservists that they are in face on active duty. Documentation stating the former military member sustained injury while on active duty, not necessarily in combat. The links below contain detailed information for military qualification. Prekindergarten for Dependents of Active Duty Members of the Military
Foster Care Currently, or has ever been in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (foster care) following an adversary hearing held as provided by Family Code §262.201 or has been in foster care in another state or territory, but currently lives in Texas.	Acceptable documentation to verify prekindergarten eligibility for children who have been in foster care in Texas include: DFPS foster/kinship placement documentation PreK verification letter (this letter can be requested by sending the child’s full name and date of birth to: Prekverificationltrs@dfps.texas.gov) or contacting a DFPS Education Specialist Acceptable documentation to verify prekindergarten eligibility for children who have been in foster care outside of Texas include: Foster care documents stating closure of a case Court documents stating “state foster care” involvement Adoption paperwork completed by the originating state.
Star of Texas Award Be the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award as a peace officer (3106.002), firefighter (3103.003), or emergency first responder (3106.004) that were seriously injured or lost their lives in the line of duty.	The office of the Governor, Criminal Justin Division honors recipients annually in September, The resolution (certificate) awarded to an individual serves as proof of eligibility to enroll their child in free Pre-K if they are age-eligible.
Homeless Defined by 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 1143a
District Employment Child of a person employed as a classroom teacher at a public primary or secondary school in the school district that offers a prekindergarten class under this section.

Eligibility

Documentation Needed

Language

Be unable to speak and comprehend the English language

Eligibility is determined by language assessment. Once your online registration is complete you will be contacted by the Language Testing Center to make an appointment for the language assessment.

Economically Disadvantaged

The student is eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program

Eligibility determined by the total combined household income and the number of family members in the household. Income is determined by the gross income. One month of income documentation is required.

2025-2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines for Determining Free and Reduced Price Benefits

Military

Be the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active duty by proper authority; (mobilized) or is the child of a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while serving on active duty

DoD ID for active duty military

Documentation for Texas National Guard members or military reservists that they are in face on active duty.

Documentation stating the former military member sustained injury while on active duty, not necessarily in combat.

The links below contain detailed information for military qualification.

Prekindergarten for Dependents of
Active Duty Members of the Military

Foster Care

Currently, or has ever been in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (foster care) following an adversary hearing held as provided by Family Code §262.201 or has been in foster care in another state or territory, but currently lives in Texas.

Acceptable documentation to verify prekindergarten eligibility for children who have been in foster care in Texas include:

DFPS foster/kinship placement documentation
PreK verification letter (this letter can be requested by sending the child’s full name and date of birth to: Prekverificationltrs@dfps.texas.gov) or contacting a DFPS Education Specialist

Acceptable documentation to verify prekindergarten eligibility for children who have been in foster care outside of Texas include:

Foster care documents stating closure of a case
Court documents stating “state foster care” involvement
Adoption paperwork completed by the originating state.

Star of Texas Award

Be the child of a person eligible for the Star of Texas Award as a peace officer (3106.002), firefighter (3103.003), or emergency first responder (3106.004) that were seriously injured or lost their lives in the line of duty.

The office of the Governor, Criminal Justin Division honors recipients annually in September, The resolution (certificate) awarded to an individual serves as proof of eligibility to enroll their child in free Pre-K if they are age-eligible.

Homeless

Defined by 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 1143a

District Employment

Child of a person employed as a classroom teacher at a public primary or secondary school in the school district that offers a prekindergarten class under this section.

Campuses with Pre-Kindergarten

FULL-DAY PRE-K

Full-Day Pre-K is available at all NISD elementary campuses, including the new Hicks Early Childhood Center for the 2026-2027 school year.
Students must qualify for Pre-K
Parents register their child for the Pre-K in their attendance area. Not sure of your attendance area? Click here.

DUAL LANGUAGE PRE-K

Students are assigned to the DL classroom designated by their attendance zone

Clara Love
Prairie View
Roanoke

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the age qualification for Prekindergarten?
To attend Prekindergarten children must be four-years-old by September 1st of the school year in which they are applying. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

Can my 3-year-old attend PreKindergarten?
No. Children who are three-years-old on September 1st are not eligible to attend PreKindergarten.

Where are Pre-K classes located?
PreK classes are located on each campus as well as Hicks Early Childhood Center.

Can I attend any campus that has Pre-K?
Students attend Pre-K at the campus within their attendance zone. If the Pre-K at your elementary home campus is full, your child will attend the next closest Pre-K campus.

What are the times for Prekindergarten?
Prekindergarten is a five-day-a-week program. The full day schedule on campus is 7:40 a.m.-3:05 p.m. The full day schedule at Hicks Early Childhood Center is 8:05am-3:30pm.

Is there a school supply list for Prekindergarten?
Yes, there are designated supplies for Prekindergarten. If you have any questions about school supplies please contact your child's teacher or the school they will attend.

Is transportation available?
Prekindergarten students living in the attendance zone of the school they are attending and living outside a two mile radius of the school may ride the bus to school.

Does attendance really count in Pre-K?
Yes, it does. To receive the full benefit of the Prekindergarten program your child needs to be here every day for their class. Once you have enrolled your child in school they are expected to attend and fall under Compulsory Attendance Law. Refer to the link below to access the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct regarding state and district attendance laws and policies.

Registration

When do we register?
Kindergarten and Prekindergarten Round-Up will be held in the spring for the next school year. Families can register this week or any time through the end of the school year. Families can also qualify and register during new student registration in August.

We don't live in Northwest ISD. Can we transfer from another district?
No. We do not take out of district transfers.

We will be out of town during Pre-Kindergarten registration. Can I still register?
Yes. Pre-Kindergarten registration continues through the end of the school year. Families can also qualify and register during new student registration in August.

Does my child need to attend registration?
If you are qualifying for the English as a Second Language (ESL) program there will be an English language assessment in order to qualify. Your child will need to at that appointment.

What if I do not have the necessary paperwork?
Please refer to the parent checklist page. All information is required. If all paperwork is not complete we cannot complete the registration process and place your child in a class.

Immunization Requirements

4 year olds (Pre-K)

4 doses of DPT/DTaP/DT/TdaP/Td
3 doses Polio
1 dose MMR received on or after the 1st birthday*
3 doses Hib (one of which must be on or after 12 months) or 1 dose Hib after 15 months of age
2 doses Hepatitis A
3 doses Hepatitis B
Pneumococcal Conjugate (Prevnar, PCV7) - 4 doses given in infancy with one dose after age 1, or 2 doses if given between 12-24 months, or 1 dose if given after 24 months
1 dose Varicella (if child has not had chickenpox) *

*Doses given up to (and including) 4 days before the birthday will meet the requirements for school entry.

Exclusions from compliance are allowable on an individual basis as specified in Texas Education Code 2.09, Chapter 97. For further information, contact the school nurse.

Immunizations must be up to date in order for registration to be complete.

Please make sure your child's immunizations are up to date before coming to registration.

We are unable to complete your child's registration and place them in a class if immunizations are not up to date.

Planning ahead:

Prior to the start of Kindergarten or the age of 5 whichever comes first, each child is required to have another DTaP (#5), Polio (#4), MMR (#2), and Varicella (#2).

Class Schedules

On early release days, or in the event of an inclement weather delay, a modified schedule insures that Prekindergarten students have the opportunity to participate in the school day for the appropriate time as designated by the state.

Campus-Based Full Day Pre-K

Regular School Day 7:40 a.m. - 3:05 p.m.
Early Release Day 7:40 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.

Hicks Early Childhood Center

Regular School Day 8:05 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Early Release Day 8:05 a.m. - 12:05 p.m.

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