Process for Applying

Step 1: UPK Registration & Required Document Submission

Registration Directions and Options: 

• Families may complete the online registration application by clicking here, or

• Families may pick up a paper application packet at 530 Liberty St, Schenectady 

Document Submission: All families who wish to apply must submit all registration documents.

Once documents are received and verified, families will be eligible for the lottery.

How to submit required documents:

If completing the online application, all required documents listed below must be submitted in one of the following ways:

• Directly uploaded into the online application in PDF format, 

• Emailed to the registration department at: registration@schenectadyschools.org, or

• Dropped off at 530 Liberty St, Schenectady, 12305

If completing a paper application, all required documents must be submitted in one of the following ways:

• Emailed to the registration department at: registration@schenectadyschools.org, or

• Dropped off at 530 Liberty St, Schenectady, 12305

Below is a list of the required documents, please be sure to have these ready to submit with your application.

Registration Required Documents: 

District Forms:

• Registration application

• Emergent Multilingual Language Learner Profile (part of online registration application)

• Lottery entry UPK location preference form (part of online registration application)

Documents Submitted by Family: 

• Proof of residence/ Address verification 

• Parent/Guardian photo ID

• Child's birth certificate 

• Child’s current immunization records

• Child’s most recent physical, must be dated within 1 year

• Custody paperwork, if applicable

Deadline for submission of completed application and all registration documents: April 13, 2026 by 4:00 p.m.

Families who miss the document deadline will still be eligible to complete registration, but will be placed on a wait-list and will only be offered a seat if any remain available after lottery placements.

Step 2: Lottery Draw

All children with completed registration documents will be entered into our random lottery draw.

Step 3: Notification

Families will be notified of lottery selection and placement by mid May. 

Additional Information

Site Preference/ Placement: The lottery entry location preference form will be used to determine location. Families not selected for their first choice will be offered their next preferred site with available space.

Waitlist: Once all seats are allocated, any additional eligible but not placed applicants will be placed on a district-wide UPK wait-list, in the order determined by the random lottery. If a seat becomes available during the school year, offers will be made to wait-listed families in that order.

Important Reminders

• Students will not be entered into the lottery until all registration paperwork has been submitted and verified.

• Families missing the application deadline, will not be entered into the lottery. They will be placed in a program on a first come, first serve basis after the lottery has taken place, or added to a waitlist if no seats remain. 

• The district ensures equitable access to all eligible children, regardless of race, national origin, gender, disability, or income.

• Children eligible for kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year are not eligible for the UPK 4-year-old program. 

• Families needing assistance with forms, language access, or technical support should contact the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible.

Contact Information

📍 Address: 530 Liberty St, Schenectady

📞 Phone: 518-881-3771

📧 Email: registration@schenectadyschools.org 

🌐 Website: https://www.schenectadyschools.org/page/prekindergarten 

December 2025

📢 Attention Schenectady Families! 📢

Do you have a child who turned four years old by December 1st of this year? Great news! We still have openings in our full-day 4-year-old Universal Pre-Kindergarten program for this school year!

Our UPK program provides a nurturing and engaging environment designed to foster early literacy, math skills, social-emotional development, and a love for learning.

Please call thecall the Registrar's Office for more information and location availability.  Phone Number:  (518)-881-3771

Office of Teaching and Learning
Jessica Valente, Assistant Director of Pre-Kindergarten Programming

About

The Schenectady City School District offers two Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) programs. A program for 3-year-olds and a program for 4-year-olds. Seats are limited and selected through a random lottery selection process.

Eligible children must be a resident of the Schenectady City School District and meet the following age requirements:

UPK 3-year-old: A child must be three years of age on or before December 1st of the year in which they are enrolled.

UPK 4-year-old: A child must be four years of age on or before December 1st of the year in which they are enrolled.

What is the Pre-k experience like for our youngest students? Watch this video for a sneak peek into Pre-K and why it is important.