Pre-K

Pre-K Requirements
Eligibility
Registration

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Prekindergarten program, your child must be 4 years of age by September 1st and meet an eligibility requirement as determined by Texas law. No exceptions can be made.

IMPORTANT PRE-K REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION

Since not every school has a pre-kindergarten program, parents may call the neighborhood elementary school to help determine the school in which to register their child.

If applying for admission based on educationally (economically) disadvantaged, please also bring:

Current payroll check stub (during the month prior to verification), OR
Current pay envelope, OR
Letter from employer stating gross wages paid and how often they are paid

Acceptable documentation for self-employment income is:

Last year’s tax return (1040), OR
Business or farming documents, such as ledger books and/or self-issued paycheck stub

If SELF employed, NET income is used. If not, GROSS income is used.

View which school your child will attend

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR MILITARY

If applying for admission based on military criteria, appropriate documentation is listed below:

Present Department of Defense (DoD) photo identification for children of active duty service members for documentation via district form.
A copy of the “Statement of Service” from the Installation Adjutant General (AG) Director of Human Resources for children of active members or mobilized reservists or members of the Texas National Guard. This office would use the military personnel systems and documentation to verify that the service member is on active duty in Texas or a Texas mobilized reservist. For Texas National Guard members (Army or Air Guard), the Texas National Guard’s office of the Adjutant General (TAG) may provide documentation or an official letter from a commander (at or above the Lieutenant Colonel or, for the Navy at the commander level) confirming active/mobilized status may be accepted.
A copy of the Death Certificate using the Service appropriate Department of Defense form, or a Department of Defense form that indicates death as the reason for the separation from the service for children of service members who died or were killed. If the Department of Defense form is not available, the family would ask the Casualty Assistance Office of the closest Casualty Area Command (in Texas) to provide a memorandum signed by the Casualty Office stating the service member was killed in action or died while serving.
A copy of the Purple Heart orders or citation for children of service members or mobilized reservists/guardsmen who were wounded or injured in combat.
A copy of the Line of Duty Determination documentation for children of service members or mobilized reservists/guardsmen who were injured while serving on active duty but were NOT wounded or injured in combat. If such documentation is not available, a copy of an official letter from a commander (at or above the Lieutenant Colonel or, for the Navy at the commander level) that stated the service member was wounded or injured while on active duty is acceptable.
A copy of appropriate documentation for children of service members who are “Missing in Action” (MIA). Any one of the following three acceptable pieces of documentation will suffice for all services: (1) a copy of the transmittal letter from the Service Secretary stating the service member is in a missing status; (2) a copy of the DD (Department of Defense) Form 2811, “Report of Proceedings by Initial/Subsequent Board of Inquiry or Further Review Board;” or (3) a copy of the DD Form 2812, “Commander’s Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations Regarding Missing Person.”

Students qualifying for prekindergarten on the basis of being a child of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, including the state military forces or a reserved component of the Armed Forces, remain eligible for enrollment if the child’s parent leaves the Armed Forces, or is no longer on active duty, after the student begins a prekindergarten class.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR FOSTER CARE

If applying for admission based on having ever been in the conservatorship (foster care) of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) please provide:

Court documentation establishing foster care, OR
Department of Family and Protective Services letter which verifies that a child has ever been in foster care. For additional information, contact your local CPS office.

PREKINDERGARTEN TRANSFERS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR

Prekindergarten student transfers from another district in Texas:

If ESL/Bilingual—attach documentation from sending school district.
If Educationally Disadvantaged—must requalify based on income during the month prior to enrollment.

PRE-K REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS:

The following documents are required when registering students for school in CFISD:

a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics¹ (see details below).
a current immunization record.
a government-issued, photo ID for the child’s parent or legal guardian.
proof of residency²(see details below).
a social security card for each child, if available.
a report card or transcript from the child’s last school, if students are registering for the sixth or ninth grade.

¹Birth Certificate: Please visit the City of Houston Bureau of Vital Statistics to obtain a birth certificate if the student was born in Harris County.

²Proof of Residency: At the time of registration, parents will be asked to provide proof of residency dated within the last 30 days. Documents that are provided should reflect the parent/legal guardian's name and street address. Please be prepared to submit one item from Line A and one item from Line B.

Line A: (Lessee) Verification in the form of your current lease/(Homeowner)Verification in the form of HCAD records, a mortgage statement, or closing documents
Line B: Verification in the form of your current gas, water, or light bill