Baltimore City Schools’ New PreK CHOICE System

For the coming 2024-25 school year, Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) is rolling out a new Pre-Kindergarten (PreK) CHOICE system for families. A goal of the new process is to consolidate PreK registration and enrollment across the district while ensuring that priority levels are being applied appropriately according to Maryland law.

Under this new system, families will apply to up to five PreK school sites through a digital registration platform opening next month. Placement will still be determined by a mix of parent preferences, income eligibility, and home address. By Maryland law, Priority 1 families are given seat options before Priority 2 and all other families. This new system eliminates the need for schools to collect income forms from families.

City Schools uses priority groups as follows:

Priority 1 children

• Four years old by September 1
• Considered income-eligible or experiencing homelessness, receiving special education services or eligible for English language services

Priority 2 children

• Four years old by September 1 but
• Are NOT considered income eligible, NOT experiencing homelessness, NOT receiving special education services, and NOT eligible for English language services

Baltimore Curriculum Project’s network of neighborhood conversion charter schools is responding to this exciting new program. Govans Elementary School is expanding its PreK from two to three classes for the coming school year.

Learn more about the new PreK CHOICE Program.