Welcome to the GCPS Pre-K Program!
For the 2024-25 school year, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) will continue its free Pre-K Program in eight Gwinnett elementary schools—Anderson-Livsey, Beaver Ridge, Benefield, Hopkins, Lawrenceville, McKendree, Nesbit, and Norton. Each school will have two Pre-K classes in the fall. These classes will follow the GCPS calendar and the elementary school’s hours. Pre-K students will attend class within their elementary attendance zone and bus transportation will be provided.
For each school, the two Pre-K classes will serve 16 students each for a total of 32 children. Families who live in a school attendance zone may enter their child in the GCPS Pre-K Lottery if they are interested in their child attending one of the classes at their child's zoned school. While the majority of the seats in the classes will be given to students from the school attendance zone, a portion of seats will be available to children of staff members from the school and cluster.
The GCPS Pre-K Lottery will be held on April 19 with the random selection of students through a digital lottery process. The lottery consists of random drawings from among all applicants within each elementary school attendance zone. Eight separate lottery drawings will be held to determine the class lists and waiting lists for each elementary school. All students entered in the lottery will be randomly selected and placed in order based on their selection. Once the first 32 positions are filled, the names of the remaining children will be placed on the waiting list for the school’s Pre-K program based on their position in the lottery. Each drawing will be recorded. Families will be notified by April 26 to let them know if their child has been randomly selected for one of 32 slots or has been placed on the waiting list.
Should the family of any child selected in the lottery process withdraw their child’s name or give up their enrollment spot, the family of the next child on the waiting list will be contacted and offered enrollment.
Any openings that become available in the Pre-K classes will be filled using the waiting list for that school attendance zone. The district-level Early Learning and School Readiness Executive Director will keep documentation on file for the waiting lists and any slots filled from those lists.
If you have questions about the lottery or the free Pre-K in GCPS, please contact the Office of Early Learning and School Readiness at GCPS.EarlyLearning@gcpsk12.org or contact the school.
GCPS Pre-K Program Lottery
The GCPS Pre-K Program is no longer accepting applications for the 2024-25 Pre-K Lottery. If you live in the attendance zone of one of the eight schools with a Pre-K Program, please contact the school directly to be added to the wait list.
Please read our Pre-K Enrollment Guidelines and read our Pre-K Lottery FAQs about the lottery process. If you have additional questions, contact the Office of Early Learning and School Readiness at GCPS.EarlyLearning@gcpsk12.org.
GCPS Pre-K Program Lottery -- Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the age requirements to enroll in GCPS’ free Pre-K Program?
- What is considered acceptable documents for proof of age?
- What is acceptable documentation for proof of residency?
- Where can I get the Immunization Form 3231?
- Where can I get the Georgia Department of Public Health Form 3300?
- Does my child have to have a social security card/number to attend Pre-K?
- Can I pick up my child early or bring him or her in late in the mornings? Can my child attend Pre-K just a few days a week?
- Is attendance important in Pre-K?
- If I already registered my child for another Pre-K program, can I still enter my child in the lottery to attend this program?
- If my child is selected in the lottery to attend GCPS’ Pre-K, what do I need to bring to the school to complete my child’s enrollment in the program?
- When will registration be held for the students who were chosen in the Pre-K Lottery?