Full-Day Kindergarten Lottery Set For Plainfield Schools

PLAINFIELD, IL — District 202 will again hold a random, computerized lottery for its limited full-day kindergarten program in 2018-19. District 202 parents will be able to apply online for the random, computerized lottery starting at 7 a.m. Monday, Jan. 29, through 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9.

The actual lottery will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 16. Families will be notified no later than that date whether their child has been accepted or put on a waiting list.

The computer will assign numbers to eligible students, then sort and randomly pick 24 students at each of the district’s 17 elementary schools. The computer will also create building “waiting lists” comprising students beyond the 24 selected.

The District 202 community identified full-day kindergarten as a priority through the 2011 Strategic Planning process.

However, the district still does not have enough space in its 17 elementary schools to accommodate the students. About 1,500 District 202 children are expected to be eligible for kindergarten this fall. Therefore, District 202 implemented a limited pilot program in 2016-17 as a first step towards the goal of full-day kindergarten for all.

The full-day and half-day kindergarten curriculum is the same. However teachers get more time and can incorporate more play-based learning in the full-day program.

District administrators continue to research options to provide full-day kindergarten cost-effectively for as many students as possible.

Please note:

• WITHOUT EXCEPTION, all students must be five years old on or before September 1, 2018, to attend kindergarten, per state law.
• Each family can complete only one lottery application. Families with multiple kindergarten students will complete one application including the names of all prospective students. This application will create individual lottery entries for each child.
• Families without Internet access may register online at their child’s homeschool on any regular school day from 9 a.m. Jan. 29 to the end of the school day on Feb. 9.
• The actual lottery will be held on Feb. 16. All applicants will be notified whether their child has been accepted or put on the waiting list no later than Feb. 16.
• Students chosen for this program must complete the registration process in March or they will lose their slot. The actual registration deadline will be announced as soon as possible.
• Full-day kindergarten tuition will be $100 per month in addition to the one-time $90 kindergarten registration fee. The $100 monthly tuition will help offset the cost of the additional staff and resources needed to offer the full-day kindergarten program.

More information, including an updated “Frequently Asked Questions” is posted under “Announcements” on the District 202 web site (www.psd202.org); all 17 elementary school web sites, and the web site for the Bonnie McBeth Learning Center.

Submitted by District 202