Selection FAQ

•   1. How does the selection process work?

• The Seattle Preschool Selection process takes into consideration various factors. Eligible preschoolers will be selected through a random selection process that utilizes the following criteria:

  
  

  Child’s age: Children who are age 4 on or before August 31 of the school year will receive priority over children who are age 3.

  
  

  Home address: If you select a site that is in the same Seattle Public Schools elementary attendance zone as your home address, you will receive priority for that site over children living in other parts of the city.

  
  

  Siblings: Additional preference is given to children with siblings who will be enrolled/attending SPP at the same time or attending Seattle Public Schools in the same building. To receive preference for an SPS sibling, please include the SPS student ID on your application.

  
  

  Homeless and Foster/Kinship Care: Children from unhoused families or in foster/kinship care will receive priority placement.

  
  

  Dual Language or Lower Income 3-year olds: Three-year old children who do not have attendance zone priority will receive priority if they have a household state median income (SMI) below 54% OR if they speak a heritage language AND have a household state median income (SMI) below 94%.

  
  

•   2. My child was 3 at the August 31 cutoff date, but has since turned 4. Does he/she get the age 4 priority now?

• No. If your child is 3 by August 31 of the program year, your child is considered a 3-year-old for the remainder of the program year. This policy aligns to the public-school age cut off.

•   3. I have an older child in an SPS school. Does that give my preschooler priority for that SPP classroom?

• Preschoolers will be given priority to attend the same SPS school that an older sibling attends, if that school is a SPP location. In order for the priority to be applied, parents must enter the older siblings SPS ID on the application.