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Houston County Board of Education

Alabama First Class Pre-K

First Class Pre-K for Families

Registration for the 2026-27 school year is open to all children who are Alabama residents who are 4 years old by September 1, 2026. No child will be denied participation on the basis of income, sex, race, color, national origin, or disability. If you need assistance with accessing the online application, contact a local First Class Pre-K program.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Visit Early Childhood Education to register your child. Each site will host a random selection drawing to enroll students.

    Instructions to Register:  English

    Instrucciones para Registrarse

  • A five-step process timeline is displayed horizontally using colored chevron arrows with icons and text for each stage.

  • Enrollees must provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate, proof of residence, an immunization record upon enrollment.

  • If you have received confirmation from Houston County Schools that your child was selected for the Alabama Pre-K program, you will then fill out the enrollment application for Houston County Schools.  

  • The Alabama First Class Pre-K program supports quality, accountability, and child outcomes that extend well beyond kindergarten entry. The ADECE has implemented evidence-based strategies and methods grounded in research literature to ensure that all Alabama 4-year-olds have access to excellent early learning classrooms in their communities. Classrooms are funded through a grant process in which sites must meet specific quality assurances and abide by rigorous operating guidelines. Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program has been awarded the highest quality rating by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) for 20 consecutive years.

  • A child must be an Alabama resident and be 4 years old on September 1 of the school year for which he/she is being registered.
    For example, children born between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022, will be eligible for First Class Pre-K for the 2026-2027 school year.
    Children who are eligible for kindergarten are not eligible for pre-K. No child will be denied participation on the basis of income, sex, race, color, national origin, or disability.

  • Yes

  • There is no registration fee for First Class Pre-K programs.  No child can be denied access to pre-K based on income.

  • 6.5 hours

  • Each program maintains a randomized waitlist that is used to fill an opening. Your child may be on more than one waitlist at a time.

  • Numerous research studies have shown that children who participated in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs are less likely to repeat a grade, require remedial education, or be placed in special education; score higher on achievement tests; are more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college; get higher paying salaries as adults; and are more likely to stay out of prison and off welfare.