Pre-K

Overview:

The Pre-Kindergarten Program is for students who qualify as low income as determined by federal government guidelines. However, we invite ALL parents who are interested in a structured Pre-K experience for their child to sign up! Parents are responsible for transportation to and from school. The program hours are from 7:45 AM - 1:45 PM, Monday through Friday. These classes follow the regular school calendar, and there is an attendance requirement. You will be contacted on the status of your child’s enrollment in the Pre-K program after your child has been screened. Parents will have to verify proof of income. We will continue to accept applications at the Bedford County Board of Education Central Office building throughout the school year. Once all the openings are filled, your child’s name will go on a waiting list.

For the importance of Pre-K, please click here.

See below frequently asked questions and answers for Pre-K registration. If you don't see your question here, call the Board of Education at 931-684-3284.

What is Voluntary Pre-K?

The Voluntary Pre-K initiative provides Tennessee's three (3) and four (4) year-old children - with an emphasis on four-year-olds who are at-risk—an opportunity to develop school readiness skills (pre-academic and social skills).

Voluntary Pre-K classes promote a high-quality academic environment, which fosters the love and joy of learning and promotes success in kindergarten and throughout the child's life.

For more information on the Voluntary Pre-K program, please click here.

How do I know if my child is eligible for Pre-K?

How do I register my child for Pre-K?

On April 4, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., at Harris Middle School, we will host a Pre-K registration. You need to bring your child with you that day, and the teachers will conduct an assessment on your child. Also, in order to register your child that day, you must have HARD COPIES of the following documents (emails will NOT be accepted):

Certified Copy of Birth Certificate
Proof of Immunization
Proof of Physical
Proof of Income
- Our program is based on income. If you work, or any other person in your household works, you must provide a HARD COPY of each of your last paystubs (paycheck stub, food stamp case number, families first, income tax return).

For information on annual Pre-K registration, click here.

How old do you have to be to enroll in Pre-K?

What schools have Pre-K programs?

Learning Way Elementary School: 3 Pre-K classes
Eakin Elementary School: 2 Pre-K classes
Cartwright Elementary School: 2 Pre-K classes

For Pre-K students, we do not have a zoning system. Instead, we place them at each school based on availability. If a student applying for Pre-K has a sibling attending a school that offers the Pre-K program, we will make every effort to accommodate them at the same school. However, due to limited availability, we may not be able to accommodate every student.

What are the hours for the Pre-K program?

Should I still apply for Voluntary Pre-K even if I think I might not qualify due to being over income?

We encourage everyone to apply to our Pre-K program. We have 140 seats available, but we may not always have enough students who meet the income requirements to fill all the seats. In such cases, we may accept over-income students to fill the remaining seats. If we do receive enough applicants from students who meet the income requirements, the names of over-income students will be put on a waitlist.

In the event that some of our enrolled students move or leave the program during the school year, we will fill those vacancies with students on our waiting list.

If all the seats are taken, what will happen if my child doesn't get a seat?

Supervisor

Xavier Hamler

Administrative Assistant

Kim Joyce

Eakin Elementary Staff

Teacher: Jamie Carter

Teacher: Kelsey Sommers

Learning Way Elementary Staff

Teacher: Cari Doss

Teacher: Carolee Napper

Teacher: Rachel Porter

Cartwright Elementary Staff

Teacher: Alexandria Cooper

Teacher: Delicia Hyatt

Best for All Central: Tennessee's Hub for Learning & Teaching
The Tennessee Department of Education launches the Best for All Central: Tennessee's Hub for Learning & Teaching, which is a new online tool designed to provide school educators and families an extensive collection of high-quality, optional resources to support teaching and learning, as well as features for locating specific resources quickly and easily. Click here to access Best for All Central.