Durham PreK Application Now Online

Durham PreK is now accepting applications online for the 2020-2021 school year.

Durham, N.C., April 28, 2020: Durham PreK is now accepting applications online for the 2020-2021 school year for easier access during the time of COVID-19. All 4-year-olds living in Durham County are eligible for the county’s publicly funded universal pre-K program. Programs participating in Durham County include Durham PreK, Durham Public Schools–Title I Pre-K, NC Pre-K and Durham Head Start. Families can learn more about the application process here: www.durhamprek.org/families/enrollment.

“This online application adds a convenient option for families enrolling for the upcoming school year and demonstrates how family-friendly we can be when agencies partner together. The online and phone options make a big difference for accessibility!” said Linda Chappel, Senior Vice President of Triangle Area Child Care Resource and Referral Services at Child Care Services Association.

“We continue to be dedicated to helping our Durham families with four-year-olds apply for preschool services. We will not let COVID-19 stop us,” said Durham Public School Superintendent Pascal Mubenga. “We are excited that families can now access the universal application for a classroom placement online. This collaborative effort with our community partners will ensure access for all families.”

Please note the following about the online application option:

• The online application is completed through Survey Monkey. Completing the application will take about 20 to 30 minutes. Please complete one application for each applying child in your household.
• You cannot save your application responses once you have started. Please begin this application when you have 20 to 30 minutes to submit it.
• In order for your online application to be considered complete, you must mail a certification form (page 3 of the parent packet) with your signature and submit additional documents. These instructions can be found here.
• If you feel overwhelmed with the application, a bilingual counselor can help you through it! Please call 1-833-733-5338 to leave a message at the Durham PreK Information Desk. A counselor will return your call to schedule a virtual application appointment.
• If you prefer to submit a paper application, you can still download the PDF here.

“The Partnership is excited to be a participating agency in efforts to support families during this challenging time in accessing pre-K for the upcoming school year,” said Executive Director of Durham’s Partnership for Children, Danielle Johnson. “We are encouraging families during this time to complete the online Durham Pre-K application for the 2020-2021 school year. This is an amazing opportunity open to all Durham County preschool aged children.”

Durham PreK is Durham’s local investment in high quality education for 4-year-olds. Built to enhance and expand the state-funded NC Pre-K program, Durham PreK is open to all children in Durham County and will grow incrementally over time to meet the full community need for publicly supported high-quality early education.

Child Care Services Association serves as the management agency for Durham PreK and works collaboratively with Durham County Government, Durham’s Partnership for Children, Durham Public Schools, Durham Head Start and numerous other community partners to expand access to high-quality pre-K classrooms to Durham’s 4-year-olds.

The overall goal over the next few years is to expand each year so that Durham PreK will be available to all families with 4-year-old children who choose to participate. To view early learning programs that offer Durham PreK, visit www.durhamprek.org/families/site-locations.

Durham PreK
Durham PreK is committed to improving the quality of preschool programs by providing financial support, training opportunities for teachers and increasing eligibility for families to enroll their child. The program began in 2018 with the Durham County Government committing to equitable access to high-quality preschool for all children in Durham. Investments will not only increase the number of publicly funded pre-K seats but also broaden eligibility and work with teachers and private centers to build their quality through teacher and director education, mentoring and coaching. The County has a contract with Child Care Services Association (CCSA) to manage the expansion of Durham PreK. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has established a Governance Committee chaired by the Durham County Manager’s office to approve Durham PreK standards and policies. For more information, visit www.durhamprek.org.

Child Care Services Association
Founded in 1974, the mission of Child Care Services Association (CCSA) is to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality child care for all young children and their families. Using a holistic approach, CCSA supports children and families, helps child care professionals improve the quality of early education children receive and ensures all families can afford and access the high-quality early care and education that is so important for a child’s early development. Through its Meal Services Program, CCSA also provides nutritious meals to children at child care centers, where they may eat 50-100 percent of their meals. Our T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood^®, Child Care WAGE$^® and Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus^® programs give child care professionals the means to obtain an education and supplement their salary based on that education. CCSA also licenses T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ across the U.S. and conducts early childhood systems research and policy development statewide and nationally. For more information, visit www.childcareservices.org.

Durham Public Schools
Durham Public Schools is one of the ten largest districts in North Carolina, serving more than 33,000 students in the city and county of Durham with a vision of igniting the limitless potential of its students. It is one of the top 30 districts in the nation for employing teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, boasting a National Blue Ribbon School, more than $76 million in scholarships offered to the Class of 2019, and a commitment to equity and excellence. Driven by its five-year Strategic Plan, DPS embraces, educates, and empowers every student to innovate, serve, and lead.

Durham Head Start
Durham Head Start & Early Head Start strives to provide a high quality pre-school experience by educating children, empowering families and expanding community collaborations.

Durham’s Partnership for Children – Preparing our children to succeed.
Founded in 1994 and first funded in 1995 to administer the Smart Start grant in Durham County, the Partnership works as an independent, local nonprofit that serves young children birth to age 5 and their families to ensure that all children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. For more than 20 years, the Partnership has helped parents pay for child care, improved the quality of child care and provided health and family support services to thousands of Durham County families with young children. The Partnership leverages the public and private sectors to achieve its mission: To ensure every child in Durham enters school ready to succeed, we lead community strategies for children birth to 5 and their families that promote healthy development and learning and enhance access to high quality care. The Partnership administers Smart Start, NC Pre-K, and Early Head Start in Durham County. For more information about the Partnership, visit www.dpfc.net or call 919-403-6960, ext. 221.

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