LCSD Universal Pre-Kindergarten Criteria / Guidelines

Lansing Central Schools Pre-Kindergarten program is an age-appropriate instructional program for 4-year olds that prepares students for a successful transition to kindergarten and beyond. We are excited to announce the program is a full day program that operates under the regular school calendar. The school day begins at 9:06 AM and ends at 3:15 PM

UPK is a state-funded program that introduces young learners to the school environment and focuses on intellectually, socially and emotionally preparing children for kindergarten. The programs follows the New York State Prekindergarten Learning Standards.

Program Requirements:

  • Child must turn four years old by December 1

  • Child must live within the Lansing Central School District boundaries.

Selection Process:

The district plans to offer up to 36 seats for the 25-26 school year. If there are more eligible applicants than can be served in a given year, the district will conduct a lottery-based system to determine who attends the program.

The lottery will select attendees on a random basis. New York state regulations prohibit a district from prioritizing eligible students for any reason. Each child will be entered into the lottery as an individual student and will be selected at random. The selection of one twin, triplet or household member has no effect on the selection number of any other siblings during the lottery process.

If a lottery system is utilized, students who are not randomly selected will be placed on a waiting list. If any vacancies occur during the school year, they will be filled until the waiting list has been exhausted.

Enrollment in the UPK program is not mandatory. However, enrolled students must adhere to the school district's attendance policy. The program operates five-days-a-week and follows LCSD's district calendar, with 180 days of school (September through June) each year.

Required Documents:

  1. Proof of age (child must be four years old on or before December 1)

  2. Proof of residency (must reside within LCSD school boundaries)

  3. Immunization Certificate

  4. Custody Documents (if applicable)

  5. Completed Registration Packet

If you have any questions, please call the Registrar's Office at 607-533-3020 ext. 4000.