Pre-K 4 Applications Being Accepted

Pre-Kindergarten 4 applications are now being accepted by the St. Mary’s County Public Schools. All families are welcome to apply; however, income is the primary qualifier for eligibility.

The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future allows for families with children who are 4 on or before September 1, 2025, to apply for full-day pre-kindergarten. Families with an annual income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level or families that are experiencing homelessness are deemed income eligible and will be accepted first.

In 2025-2026 only: Children who are identified as a multilingual learner, where English is not the home language, and/or children with a current Individualized Education Plan/Individualized Family Service Plan, and the annual family income is at or below 600% of the federal poverty level may be admitted.

All applications will be screened and identified on a System of Tier.

Families with an annual income that exceeds 301% FPL, are placed on the over-income/waitlist. Families are advised to seek alternate options to meet their child care needs should seat capacity be filled. After October 1, 2025, depending on available seats and school location, waitlisted families may be contacted in rank order and offered a seat where available. Families will be notified mid-May of their acceptance or waitlist status by the Early Childhood Education Team.

The Maryland State Department of Education has provided a Federal Poverty Level calculator to assist in determining income eligibility.

Families must submit the following required documents with the applications so it may be screened for eligibility:

• Proof of Birth — Birth Certificate, Valid and un-expired Passport/Visa, Physician’s Certificate, Baptismal/Church Certificate, or Birth Registration
• Proof of Residency — Deed, Mortgage, Rental Agreement/Lease, Current Property Tax Bill, or Current Utility Bill (PO Box is not acceptable)
• Income Verification — 2024 W-2, or three recent consecutive pay stubs. Additional income sources include Child Support, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Cash Assistance, Social Security Benefits, Social Security Insurance, or Medicaid

For more information and guidance in completion of the application, call 301-475-5511, ext. 32285, or email Charlottis Woodley at [email protected]. Spanish language assistance is available.