Open enrollment for New Orleans’ youngest learners begins Thursday with over 100 school-based pre-K and early childhood education programs available — some of them free for qualified families.
Kids 4 and under can now be enrolled for the 2024-25 school year, along with children in grades K-12.
The New Orleans Common Application system, operated by New Orleans Public Schools, opened in November for grades K-12 and will close Jan. 19.
The early childhood education (ECE) portal opens Jan. 4 and will close Feb. 21. Families can log in and apply at https://enrollnolaps.com/ to a mix of public and private schools, Head Start programs and early childhood education centers.
Here’s what you should know when applying for a seat:
During the first round of applications, ECE programs have a limited number of seats available. Placements are typically announced in April, followed by another open enrollment period, when waitlists are common.
Families can apply any time during the main round window through Feb. 21. All applications will be processed at the same time, regardless of when they were submitted.
Families can select up to eight schools ranked by preference. Children are randomly assigned to schools by an algorithm that prioritizes seat availability, family preference, distance from school and other criteria.
Who can enroll?
- Children aged 4 years old and under. Children must turn four by Sept. 30, 2024.
- Children transitioning from an early learning center to school-based pre-K 4 programs
- Children currently enrolled in a publicly funded childhood education program. To continue with the program, families have to reverify their eligibility each year.
- Children from households that meet eligibility criteria for free seats.
- Children from households that qualify for tuition-based seats.
Who is eligible for free early childhood education programs?
Families with housing instability, those experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care are automatically prioritized. Children who have a school district-approved individualized education plan (IEP) for a disability or who are identified as gifted and talented may also be eligible.
Several federal and state-funded programs are open to families with incomes that fall below certain annual thresholds.
Families that don't qualify must pay the tuition costs to enroll a child.
The school finder tool on the NOLA Public Schools website lists sites by location and funding source. Many have seats available under multiple programs. For instance, Clara’s Little Lambs is listed seven times across different funding programs and site locations.
Publicly funded programs include:
The Childcare Assistance Program (CCAP) and the Early Childhood Education Fund (ECEF) are both state-funded programs open to families with household incomes less than 85% of the state median. They serve children from birth to 3 years old.
The New Orleans Early Education Network City Seats Program (NOEEN) is a city funded program that serves children under age four at high-quality early learning centers. Family incomes must fall below 200% of the federal poverty line to be eligible for free seats, which is less than $60,000 a year for a family of four.
The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program (LA4) is a state-funded program for children in public school-based pre-K 4 programs. Family income must fall at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.
The Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program (NSECD) is a state-funded program for children aged three and four years old enrolled in private schools and early learning centers. Household income must fall at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.
The Early Head Start and Head Start Programs (EHS & HS) are federally-funded programs that serve families with a household income at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Line. Early Head Start serves children aged birth through 2, and Head Start serves children aged 3-5 years old.
What do you need to apply?
Depending on the program, applicants must provide documentation that verifies family residency, income, guardianship and other requirements in order for applications to be considered complete.
Families that have to pay tuition do not have to verify income. A list of documents can be found on the NOLA Public Schools website.