Early childhood learning is important to academic success for the rest of a child's life! Prekindergarten provides students with rich curriculum and an innovative, engaging environment where purposeful play leads to learning in reading, writing, math, music, arts and more.  

The district's pre-kindergarten (or Pre-K) program for four year olds is free of charge when the students or families meet at least one qualifying factor in the below list. If you're unsure whether your child qualifies for the free program, we invite you to complete the interest form above so that an Early Childhood specialist can contact you to discuss your child's placement.  

• Low income (for example, eligible for food assistance)
• Single-parent family
• Limited English proficiency
• Either parent lacking high school diploma or GED
• Teen parent family
• Child qualifies for migrant status
• Agency referral
• Lower than expected developmental progress

Students attend school for three hours each day in either the morning or afternoon. If childcare is needed for the other portion of the day, please discuss this with your Early Childhood specialist. 

The family must be able to transport the child to and from school or arrange for the transportation, and they are required to complete the federal free and reduced meal program application to help the Early Childhood program receive the funding needed to make pre-K available to families for free. We also ask that parents ensure the student attends preschool regularly to develop positive attendance habits for future grades.

Pre-K programs are available at the following elementary schools:

• Adams
• Allen
• Anderson
• Beech
• Benton
• Black
• Buckner
• Caldwell
• Cessna
• Chisholm Trail
• Clark
• Cleaveland
• Cloud
• College Hill
• Colvin
• Dodge
• Earhart
• Enders
• Enterprise
• Franklin
• Gammon
• Gardiner
• Gordon Parks
• Griffith
• Harry Street
• Irving
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Kelly
• Kensler
• Lawrence
• Linwood
• McCollom
• Minneha
• OK 
• Oritz
• Park
• Payne
• Peterson
• Price-Harris
• Pleasant Valley
• Seltzer
• Spaght
• Stanley
• Washington
• White
• Woodland
• Woodman

Pre-K spots are also available through Wichita Public Schools at the following early childhood centers:

• Little Early Childhood
• TOP North and Northwest

Shannon Benoit 
Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction
sbenoit@usd259.net
(316) 866-8043

Maria Sanchez-Lopez
Executive Assistant 
mlopez3@usd259.net   
(316) 866-8043

Christina Carter
Early Childhood Teaching Specialist
ccarter@usd259.net
(316) 866-8042

Stephanie Goertz
Early Childhood Teaching Specialist
sgoertz@usd259.net
(316) 866-8047

Erica Hartzler
Early Childhood Teaching Specialist
ehartzler@usd259.net
(316) 866-8049

Adriana Navarrete
Administrative Assistant
Pre-K Enrollment
prekenrollment@usd259.net
(316) 866-8038

Linda Costner
Administrative Assistant
Pre-K Enrollment
prekenrollment@usd259.net
(316) 866-8037