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Early Childhood Program

 

Bartlett City Schools offers two options for Early Childhood Education Pre-Kindergarten and Pre-School. Review the information below for additional resources.

Voluntary Pre Kindergarten Program (4 Year Olds)

  • The Voluntary Pre-K Program is designed to meet the needs of students identified as economically at-risk (low-income). The income requirements
    for admission are set by the State of Tennessee.
  • Student admission into the Voluntary Pre-K program is determined by income eligibility.
  • The VPK Program is for City of Bartlett residents only.
  • If you are applying as a Shared Resident, you MUST complete the paperwork and be approved by Student Services.
  • These students MUST be 4 years old by August 15, 2025.
  • The VPK program has three (3) locations, Bartlett Elementary, Rivercrest Elementary and Oak Elementary.
  • The VPK classroom has a total of 20 students with one (1) teacher and a teaching assistant in each room. 
  • The child will only be considered fully enrolled AFTER the parent and child attends a MANDATORY parent/teacher conference and you have been notified of acceptance.

 

        Pre School - Positive Peer/General Ed Pre School (3 & 4 Year Olds)

The BCS Special Education Preschool is an excellent program that offers preschoolers, with and without disabilities, enriching and challenging experiences through language-based curriculum.

BCS has ten (10) preschool classrooms under the Department of Exceptional Children. Preschool classrooms are located at Altruria Elementary, Bartlett Elementary, Bon Lin Elementary, Oak Elementary, and Rivercrest Elementary. 

  • Six of these classrooms are special education classrooms that will utilize one to three positive peer model to serve as role models and peer helpers to children with special needs. 
  • Four classrooms are general education preschool classrooms with a 50/50 ratio. 

All preschool classrooms are structured teaching environments where children with and without special needs learn together in a classroom that is staffed with one teacher and two paraprofessionals. 
 

 

                                                   

                                                                                      

Program Criteria

Voluntary Pre Kindergarten Program

  • Students must qualify for the VPK program based on income eligibility.  
  • BCS will attempt to accommodate parent request regarding location
    selection for student.  
  • Student MUST be potty trained.
  • PreK classrooms follow the same school hours as the school which they are located.
  • Transportation is not provided. Parents must transport students to and from the school campus daily. Before and after school care is not provided. 
  • All children must meet entrance requirements even if they have siblings who participated in the PreK program in the past.

 

Pre School (Positive Peer/General Education Pre School)

Student must:

  • Be a Bartlett resident or meet Priority one requirements in BCS transfer procedures.
  • Be three (3) years old (but not yet 5) by August 15, 2025.
  • Be completely toilet trained.
  • Score 80% or higher on the developmental screening conducted by our staff. Students are screened for age-appropriate development and school readiness skills, speech/language, and behavior.
  • Additional information:
  • Parents must be able to provide transportation.
  • If your child has an IEP for speech/language or other eligibility category, they are not eligible to be a positive peer. 
  • Screenings will be by appointment only. 
  • Once the screenings have been completed, you will receive a letter (via email) informing you if your child is being considered as a positive peer.  
  • All application and screening results for children who are selected as candidates, will be to your 1st or 2nd choice. All attempts will be made to send the information to your first choice; however, this is not always possible.  Priority is given to children of Bartlett City Schools employees
     

Required

2025 - 2026 Voluntary Pre-K Program Application

(Please have all needed information, together and ready to upload before starting the application process. THIS FORM WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SAVE IN PROGRESS.)

The Voluntary Pre-K Program is designed to meet the needs of students identified as economically at-risk (low- income).

The Voluntary Pre-K Program is for City of Bartlett Residents Only.

If you are applying as a Shared Resident, you MUST complete the paperwork and be approved by Student Services.

The child will only be considered fully enrolled AFTER the parent and child attends a MANDATORY parent/teacher conference and you have been notified of acceptance.

Please note the screenings for PreK will be the end of April, 2025.  You will be contacted the first part of April to schedule an appointment. 

Child's Information (Uploads Needed):

  1. Birth Certificate
  2. Social Security Card
  3. Physical and Immunization Record on a Tennessee School Form
  4. IEP (Individualized Education Program), OT (Occupational Therapy), PT (Physical Therapy), Speech, and etc. (If applicable.)
  5. Two (2) Proofs of Residence:

Parents, legal guardians, or custodians having lawful control of the student must provide one item from Option A and one (1) item from Option B from the items listed below:

Option A:

  1. Most current mortgage statement or deed of the owner of the home in which the student will reside during the current school year;
  2. Current active lease of the lessee or rental agreement of the renter of the home in which the student will reside during the current school year. The lease or rental agreement must include the leasing agent or landlord’s current contact information;

Option B:

  1. Most recent MLGW bill of the owner, renter, or lessee of the home in which the student will reside during the current school year;
  2. Current real estate tax receipt;
  3. Government documentation received within the past 60 days;
Child's Full Namerequired
First Name
Last Name
Genderrequired
Racerequired
Must contain a date in M/D/YYYY format
Attach up to 1 file with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
Upload your child's Birth Certificate. (Mother's copy not accepted.)
Ex: 123-456-7890
Attach up to 1 file with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
Include: House #, Street Name and Apartment #
Attach up to 1 file with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
Parents, legal guardians, must provide 1 item from Option A and 1 from Option B listed above.
Attach up to 1 file with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
Parents, legal guardians, must provide 1 item from Option A and 1 from Option B listed above.
Attach up to 1 file with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
Family Information
Must contain a date in M/D/YYYY format
Lives with Student?required
This email will be used to inform applicants of all information pertaining VPK/Preschool.
This phone number will be used to inform applicants of all information regarding VPK/Preschool.
Lives with Student?required
Monthly Income, before taxes (ex: $15,000)
Attach up to 2 files with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
Proof of Income and/or status: current month's salary (W-2, paystub, tax returns) for adults in home
Please include Name and Cell Phone number and Relationship to student:
Is this student related to a Bartlett City Schools Employee?required
Family Status:required
Are you receive WIC and/or Familes First (TANF)?required
Zoned School:requiredPlease choose the school you are currently zoned to attend.
Please choose the school you are currently zoned to attend.
Are you applying for Voluntary PreK or Positive Peer/General Ed PreSchool
Behavior and Development of Child
Has your child received Early Intervention services in the home or a center?:required
Has your child been evaluated or in the process of being evaluated for special education services?:required
Does your child have an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?required
Does your child receive any of the following services?:requiredPlease check all that apply:
Please check all that apply:
Attach up to 1 file with a maximum size of 20MB
No file chosen
IEP (Individualized Education Program), OT, PT, Speech, Eligibility documents, etc.
Is your child on any medication?required
Is your child toilet trained?required
Has your child been enrolled in preschool?required
Answer N/A for Not Applicable
Please note:
  • Completing this application does not qualify your child for the Free or Reduced Meal Program
  • Submission of this application does not guarantee acceptance into the Voluntary PreK (VPK) Program
  • Refusal to provide income does not prevent provision of special education services
Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement:
  • I understand that the Pre-K Program is VOLUNTARY and contingent on funding. 
  • A student not compliant with the rules can be withdrawn from the program. 
  • I have accepted this application and verify the necessary accompanying documents have been submitted. 
  • I certify that all the above information is true and accurate. 
  • Any deliberate misrepresentation of the information will result in the child being immediately withdrawn from the program.
  • Typing your name below acknowledges your agreement to the content of this document.