State Preschool
State Preschool General Information
The Lincoln Unified Preschool Program has been designed to enable children to set their own goals and to work toward accomplishing these goals. We offer students opportunities within a carefully planned daily routine to work and play independently, make choices, pursue their own interests, and problem solve throughout the process. Children in the Lincoln Unified Preschool Program are assisted, guided and supported by adults who are aware of their developmental needs, and who will focus on the children's choices and decisions, strengths and areas of need.
Days of Operation
The half-day preschool program operates on the same calendar as the K-12 program and observes the same holidays and vacations; the half-day preschool program begins and ends school on the same days as the Lincoln Unified elementary and high school sites.
Hours
The hours of operation for the a.m. classes are 8:00-11:00. The hours of operation for the p.m. classes are 12:00-3:00.
Staff
Preschool classrooms will be staffed in one of two ways depending on how the classroom is funded and the staff that is hired to fill those positions. Currently, each preschool class of 24 children is staffed with one Lead Preschool Instructor, one Associate Preschool Instructor and one Paraprofessional. First 5 classrooms meet quality criteria requirements with one Lead Preschool Instructor and one Associate Preschool Instructor in a classroom with 20 children. The Instructors and Paraprofessionals at each site meet all qualifications established by the Early Education and Support Division of the California Department of Education.
State Preschools Enrollment and Eligibility Requirements
A parent can enroll a child in a half-day preschool class by completing the following steps:
- Obtain a Lincoln Unified Eligibility application by visiting Lincoln Unified's Early Childhood Office or by calling 953-8731; click here to add your information to our waiting list.
- Families will be called for an appointment in rank order.
- Families will fill out and sign the forms in the enrollment packet.
- Stipulate that the child will be three years of age on or before December 1st of the school year and that the child is potty trained.
Please arrive on time for your appointment and allow 30 minutes to complete the process. Please bring with you:
- PG&E bill or printed document with name and address of applicant verifying residence in Lincoln Unified School District;
- Recent check stubs showing the family's total gross monthly income meets the income ceiling set by state and federal guidelines; (See chart below)
- Up-to-date immunization records.
Birth certificates for all children in the family. - Photo Identification
Priority Order for Services and Waiting List Placement for State Preschool Program
Section 8263(b) of the California Education Code establishes priority order for State Preschool services. First priority is given to children who are recipients of Child Protective Services (CPS). After CPS, the children who are next in line for admission priority are income eligible four-year-olds who are placed in the order from those having the lowest to the highest ranking on the Lincoln Unified Eligibility List.
When all four year olds are placed, the next in line are the income eligible three-year-olds who are placed from those having the lowest to the highest ranking on the Lincoln Unified Eligibility List. When two or more families are ranked at the same level, the family with the earliest date of application will be admitted first. The California Department of Education mandates that all state preschools must use an Eligibility List to determine the applicant's initial order of admission or position on the prioritized waiting list. Please Note: If an opening at a particular site is offered to a parent on the prioritized waiting list, and the parent declines placement in order to wait for an opening at another site, that parent may lose his/her place on the prioritized waiting list
Choosing a Site
Once it has been determined that an applicant is eligible for the preschool program, the parent may choose any site where an opening exists. Each preschool serves a district-wide population; there are no neighborhood boundaries for preschools. It must be noted, however, that enrollment in a preschool located at a particular elementary school in no way ensures that the child will be able to attend kindergarten at that elementary school. Our goal is to place you at the elementary school site you will most likely be attending for kindergarten.
