Universal Prekindergarten Program (UPK)

The UPK Program will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will follow the calendar provided by the Schenectady Jewish Community Center/TSL Adventures. For the 2026-27 school year, the district will be partnering with the Schenectady Jewish Community Center (2565 Balltown Road) and TSL Adventures (1050 Troy-Schenectady Road and 3 Horstman Drive) to offer 66 slots between these two different locations.

The NCSD UPK Program will be a play-based program which provides opportunities of all kinds for children to learn through play. Teachers will develop lessons based on the New York State Prekindergarten Learning Standards. The daily schedule will include activities such as Circle Time, Centers and Small Group Activities, Gross Motor Activities, Art, Music, Cooking, Library and Enrichment.

No religious instruction will take place during and/or as part of the UPK Program.

Both programs offer wrap-around care. Interested families should contact the providers for more information about availability. Costs for wrap around care are the responsibility of the families.

No transportation is provided for this program. Families are responsible for transportation to and from the UPK Program.

No. Student placement will be decided using a lottery system. While the district would like to offer the UPK program to every family who applies, it is possible that not all children who apply will get into the program.

Families with multiple children who meet the criteria for UPK (e.g., twins) should complete one lottery form for each child. We cannot guarantee that multiples or children of the same age in one household will be selected together.

Each lottery entry will be assigned a random number by a random number generator and the list will then be sorted numerically by the random numbers. If your child’s name is selected in the lottery, you will be notified by email. Further directions about registration, etc., will be provided in that email. You must accept or decline your child’s space.

All of the names entered in the lottery will be kept on a list. Sometimes families will choose not to accept a space that is offered to them. If a family declines their spot, the open spot will be offered to the next family on the list.

No. According to Section 3602-e of Education Law, a child is eligible for UPK when they are four years of age on or before December 1 of the school year in which they are enrolled or will otherwise be first eligible to enter public school kindergarten the following school year. Therefore, a child would only be eligible for UPK for one year.

No. According to Section 3602-e of Education Law, a child is eligible for UPK when they are four years of age on or before December 1 of the school year in which they are enrolled or who will otherwise be first eligible to enter public school kindergarten commencing with the following school year. Therefore, a child would only be eligible for UPK for one year.

However, families can choose to send their child to a private prekindergarten program after attending UPK or deliver home instruction. Per Education Law §3205, the compulsory education age in New York state is six years of age by December 1.

If a child turns six on or after December 1, compulsory education begins the following September. Please note that NYS Education Law §1709(3) authorizes a school board to determine the placement of each student upon their entry (or reentry) to public school.