Are you interested in your 4-year old attending New Bedford Public Schools
Pre-Kindergarten program?
All pre-kindergarten applicants must be fully potty trained to begin school in September.
How do I begin the process?
The first step is to complete a pre-kindergarten intake form (links are posted to the right and on our home page). Once the form is received, your child will be added to our interest list, when we reach your child on our list, one of our early childhood specialists will contact you to see if you are still interested, and if so an appointment for screening and registration can be scheduled. After your child is screened and registered, you will be offered a placement in one of our available pre-kindergarten programs.
*Registration for the upcoming school year begins in March*
*SPACE IS LIMITED*
* Please note: NBPS does not offer transportation for pre-kindergarten students*
What is Child Find?
Child Find is component of the Individuals with Disabilities ACT (IDEA). The IDEA requires states to locate, identify, and evaluate, all children with disabilities or (suspected disabilities or delays), ages birth through 21, who need early childhood or special education services.
Are you concerned about how your child plays, learns, and behaves?
Our early childhood team provides free developmental screenings and or special education evaluations for all children ages 3-5, suspected of having a developmental delay or disability. The purpose of screening is to identify any developmental delays that may potentially affect a child's functional or pre-academic performance. If you are a parent and have concerns, please complete the Pre-Kindergarten Intake Form (links are posted to the right and on our home page) with your concerns, and one of our early childhood specialists will contact you for more information.
What happens once my child is screened?
Upon completion of the screening, a member of the early childhood team will explain the results to the child’s parent/guardian. If the screening results indicate the child is having difficulty in one or more areas of learning, a consult will be scheduled to determine if the student needs further evaluation from our special education department.
For additional information, please contact the Early Childhood Department at
508-997-4511
Stacia (English) Ext. 14672
Michelle (Spanish/English) Ext. 14651