The application window for the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) 2021-2022 school year prekindergarten program opens Monday, March 29. Students must be four years old on or before Sept. 1, 2021, to be eligible for prekindergarten. Admission is based on criteria and guidelines set by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Admission to the prekindergarten program is not guaranteed.
To complete the prekindergarten application, parents will need to know what elementary school their child is zoned to attend. School zones are based on a child’s physical home address. CCPS has a school locator program on its website. Parents can use the system to review the school zones for their address. School Locator is available on the CCPS website here.
Applications for prekindergarten must be completed through the CCPS online registration system. Parents will need to select the correct category application based on the criteria and guidelines set by MSDE.
Parents with children already enrolled in CCPS can complete the application for prekindergarten using an active ParentVue account. The ParentVue login page is posted on the CCPS website here. An Online Registration menu tab option is in the upper right-hand corner of ParentVue. Click on the Online Registration tab to begin the prekindergarten application.
Parents new to the school system need to create a ParentVue account to complete the prekindergarten application online and have a valid email address. Click here to create an account and start the application process. New users must select the Create a New Account option.
The application process requires users to upload document copies and/or images of required documents. Once an application is submitted by a parent, a CCPS staff member will review for required information and contact the parent if any information is missing.
Placement in prekindergarten is based on student need in the following categories. The prekindergarten application process is not a first-come, first-served basis. The order in which applications are submitted has no bearing on approval status. The application categories are as follows.
Prekindergarten Categories
Category 1 – priority for program acceptance
Category 1 includes income limit guidelines for families. Families must meet certain income guidelines or qualify for homeless status or foster care. Category 1 status will be verified by CCPS using the following:
Category 2
Students who fall under Category 2 must meet the qualifications for one of the identified special circumstances. Admission of students who fall under Category 2 is not guaranteed. Category 2 students are only placed in prekindergarten if space is available after the placement of Category 1 students. Category 2 placement will occur mid-August to mid-September. The following are acceptable circumstances for Category 2 and will be verified by CCPS staff.
Category 3
Students fall into Category 3 if they do not qualify for Category 1 or Category 2. No Category 3 students are placed in the prekindergarten program until the placement of children in Category 1 and Category 2. Any placement of Category 3 students will occur after the start of the school year for prekindergarten. Placement is not guaranteed. All Category 3 applications will be placed on a waiting list in birth date order with the oldest children first (starting with September birthdays).
Any applications received after July 31, 2021, for Category 2 and Category 3 children will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.
CCPS requires parents to provide several documents with prekindergarten applications. A list of required materials is posted at https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/online-registration.
Parents who need help with the online application can email OLRSupport@ccboe.com or call their child’s zoned elementary school. Applications are not considered for review until all required documents are provided and verified by CCPS staff.
A brochure with additional details about the prekindergarten application process is posted on the CCPS website at https://www.ccboe.com/images/registration/WhichPrekApp21-22.pdf/. Parents with questions can contact the CCPS Office of Early Childhood Education at 301-934-7332.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).
To complete the prekindergarten application, parents will need to know what elementary school their child is zoned to attend. School zones are based on a child’s physical home address. CCPS has a school locator program on its website. Parents can use the system to review the school zones for their address. School Locator is available on the CCPS website here.
Applications for prekindergarten must be completed through the CCPS online registration system. Parents will need to select the correct category application based on the criteria and guidelines set by MSDE.
Parents with children already enrolled in CCPS can complete the application for prekindergarten using an active ParentVue account. The ParentVue login page is posted on the CCPS website here. An Online Registration menu tab option is in the upper right-hand corner of ParentVue. Click on the Online Registration tab to begin the prekindergarten application.
Parents new to the school system need to create a ParentVue account to complete the prekindergarten application online and have a valid email address. Click here to create an account and start the application process. New users must select the Create a New Account option.
The application process requires users to upload document copies and/or images of required documents. Once an application is submitted by a parent, a CCPS staff member will review for required information and contact the parent if any information is missing.
Placement in prekindergarten is based on student need in the following categories. The prekindergarten application process is not a first-come, first-served basis. The order in which applications are submitted has no bearing on approval status. The application categories are as follows.
Prekindergarten Categories
Category 1 – priority for program acceptance
Category 1 includes income limit guidelines for families. Families must meet certain income guidelines or qualify for homeless status or foster care. Category 1 status will be verified by CCPS using the following:
- Copy of a current Food Supplement (food stamps) Program approval letter listing the date range the supplements are valid and includes the household members.
- Three recent, consecutive paycheck stubs for each wage earner in the household.
- Families can call the CCPS Department of Student Services at 301-934-7326 to verify homeless or foster care status.
- A chart listing income limits by household is posted on the CCPS website here.
Category 2
Students who fall under Category 2 must meet the qualifications for one of the identified special circumstances. Admission of students who fall under Category 2 is not guaranteed. Category 2 students are only placed in prekindergarten if space is available after the placement of Category 1 students. Category 2 placement will occur mid-August to mid-September. The following are acceptable circumstances for Category 2 and will be verified by CCPS staff.
- Child has an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) from Child Find for speech/language.
- Child’s primary language is not English.
- Child has participated in Head Start through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services within the past 12 months.
- Child lives with grandparent or elderly guardian (parent is not in the household).
- Parent has a diagnosed chronic illness impacting their ability to care for the child.
- Parent is or will be deployed for six months or more.
- Family income is within 10 percent of the limit for Category 1.
Category 3
Students fall into Category 3 if they do not qualify for Category 1 or Category 2. No Category 3 students are placed in the prekindergarten program until the placement of children in Category 1 and Category 2. Any placement of Category 3 students will occur after the start of the school year for prekindergarten. Placement is not guaranteed. All Category 3 applications will be placed on a waiting list in birth date order with the oldest children first (starting with September birthdays).
Any applications received after July 31, 2021, for Category 2 and Category 3 children will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.
CCPS requires parents to provide several documents with prekindergarten applications. A list of required materials is posted at https://www.ccboe.com/index.php/online-registration.
Parents who need help with the online application can email OLRSupport@ccboe.com or call their child’s zoned elementary school. Applications are not considered for review until all required documents are provided and verified by CCPS staff.
A brochure with additional details about the prekindergarten application process is posted on the CCPS website at https://www.ccboe.com/images/registration/WhichPrekApp21-22.pdf/. Parents with questions can contact the CCPS Office of Early Childhood Education at 301-934-7332.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).