Early Childhood Education

Pre-K students must be potty-trained by the first day of school. They must also turn 4 years old by September 30th. If your child will be 5 years old by September 30th, your child is not eligible for Pre-K but is eligible for kindergarten. Because the need for ECE is so great, students who live outside the Columbus City School District will not be considered for Pre-K enrollment.

Families who need to enroll must complete the Online Registration.

If you have registration questions or you would like to schedule an enrollment appointment, please contact our Central Enrollment Center at 614-365-4011 or centralenrollment@columbus.k12.oh.us. 

Registration Documents

Please take time to thoroughly review the Necessary Documents to ensure that your application is not delayed in processing. 

Families must complete the Online Registration (OLR) to begin the enrollment process.

The OLR application will open for Pre-K submission beginning April 1, 2025. OLR applications will be processed in the order they are received, provided all necessary documentation is uploaded to the application. Please review the Registration tab for required documents.

Once the registration is processed, the parent/guardian will receive their Parent Portal activation and additional information via an email from the Enrollment Specialist. The parent/guardian will then need to activate their Parent Portal to make their school selection and can place their child on up to three (3) waitlists. If presented with an enrollment offer, the parent/guardian will have 48 hours to accept it in their Parent Portal. If the parent/guardian does not respond to the offer, it will be automatically declined.

Priority Enrollment

The Early Childhood Education Program will adhere to the Federal Title Fund guidelines for priority Pre-K enrollment for students/families who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Foster care youth

• Families who receive SNAP benefits (food stamps)
• Families who are in temporary housing (homeless)
• English-language learners

Federal Title Fund guidelines also include priority enrollment for students who meet both factors:

• Students with challenges in literacy and language (information is collected through an online parent survey)
• Students with challenges in social and emotional behavior (information is collected through an online parent survey)

Pre-K is open to ALL qualifying students, not just those who meet criteria for Priority Enrollment. Families who do not meet these criteria will be placed on a waitlist and if space is available when Priority Enrollment ends, they will be notified via email on or after July 7, 2025. Waitlisted families should review their Parent Portal often.

Kindergarten Lottery

PLEASE READ: Pre-K students enrolled in lottery schools (Columbus Spanish Immersion, Columbus Africentric, Duxberry Park, Ecole Kenwood and Oakland Park) for 2025-2026 will need to participate in the lottery process for 2026-2027 kindergarten enrollment. There is no priority enrollment for kindergarten.  

For more information about the School Choice Lottery, please contact 614-365-7459 or email schoolchoice@columbus.k12.oh.us.

NEXT Pre-K Family Event

A Ball with Butterflies!
Put on your dancing shoes and join us for a magical family evening surrounded by butterflies! Enjoy music, movement, and playful activities that help children explore Literacy & Emotions, Math Readiness Skills, building friendships, and celebrating  kindness in a beautiful, nature-filled setting. This FREE Family Event is designed just for Pre-K children and their families.

📅 Saturday, March 20
🕥 5:30-7:00 p.m.
📍 Franklin Park Conservatory (1777 E. Broad Street)

Come explore, create, and learn together as a family!

Visit ECE Family Engagement