Universal PreKindergarten
The Cazenovia Central School District offers a full-day universal prekindergarten (UPK) program for four-year-old children who reside within the Cazenovia district. UPK is a federally and state funded program introducing our youngest learners to the school environment by focusing on cognitive, social and emotional skills to prepare children for kindergarten.
The universal prekindergarten program is located at Burton Street elementary school. The program follows the NYS Pre-Kindergarten Learning standards and is taught by certified teachers. Each classroom is supported by a teaching assistant.
Eligibility for 2025-26 School Year
The program is open to all children who reside within the Cazenovia Central School District's boundaries and, for the 2025-26 school year, are four years old on or before December 1, 2025. Students who are school-age (turn 5 before December 1, 2025) are not eligible. Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is open. Families that wish for their children to be part of the lottery for the 2025-2026 school year must submit a completed registration by 3:00 pm on March 28, 2025.
The registration link can be found here.
The district offers up to 54 seats. If there are more eligible applicants than can be served in a given school year, the district will conduct a lottery-based system to determine who may enroll in the program. Families of the selected students will be informed no later than April 25, 2025.
The lottery will select attendees on a random basis. New York state UPK regulations prohibit a district from prioritizing eligible students for any reason, including economic background. The selection of one twin, triplet or household member has no effect on the selection of any other siblings during the lottery selection process.
If a lottery system is utilized, children not randomly selected will be placed on a waiting list. If any vacancies occur during the school year, they will be filled from the waiting list until it has been exhausted.
Enrollment in the UPK program is not mandatory. However, enrolled students must adhere to the school district's attendance policy. The program will operate five-days-a-week and will follow Cazenovia's district calendar, with 180 days of school (September through June) each year.
Funding
The district will provide the UPK program at no cost to families. Funding for UPK is provided by federal, state and local funds. Beginning in 2021-22, the New York state budget included funding for school districts to expand or establish pre-K programs. This funding has remained in the state budget to date and is anticipated to continue.
Time
The Universal PreK program follows the same schedule as the elementary school day (8:10 am - 2:28 pm). At this time, the district does not provide after-school care for UPK students.
Curriculum
The Universal PreK curriculum integrates the following research based programs nurturing the whole child through early childhood education: Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum, Heggerty, Fundations, Eureka Math² and Second Step.
Teaching Strategies Creative Curriculum for Preschool is a research-based program that fosters active learning and child-initiated exploration through hands-on activities and meaningful play. This comprehensive curriculum supports development in key areas like literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, ensuring children are well-prepared for kindergarten.
Heggerty Phonemic Awareness is a research-based program designed to systematically build children's understanding of the sounds in language. Through engaging daily lessons and activities, Heggerty helps preschoolers develop essential pre-reading skills like rhyming, blending, and segmenting sounds, setting a strong foundation for literacy success.
Fundations is a systematic and explicit phonics program designed to provide children with the foundational skills necessary for reading and spelling success. Through multisensory activities, engaging songs, and interactive games, Fundations helps students develop phonemic awareness, phonics skills, and handwriting fluency, ensuring a strong literacy base for future learning.
Eureka Math², or Eureka Squared, is a coherent mathematics curriculum that provides a structured and engaging approach to learning math concepts. Through hands-on activities, problem-solving, and real-world applications, Eureka Math² helps preschoolers develop a strong number sense, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking skills, fostering a love of math and preparing them for future mathematical success.
Second Step is a research-based program prioritizing social-emotional learning. Through engaging lessons and activities, Second Step helps preschoolers develop self-regulation skills, empathy, problem-solving strategies, and emotion management, fostering a positive classroom environment.
The Universal PreK program builds a strong foundation for future success and nurtures the whole child by fostering social, emotional, and academic growth. While the Creative Curriculum is unique to Pre-K, the skills your child develops in Heggerty, Fundations, Eureka Math², and Second Step will be built upon as each program continues in kindergarten.
Transportation
Transportation is available for UPK students. Transportation must be to/from a student's home or a New York state-licensed daycare operating within the district boundaries. Federally-certified child safety seats will be provided for children under four years of age.
Meals
Children have access to breakfast and lunch. Eligible families may apply for free and reduced prices. An online application can be found here. Please contact the business office for more information at 315-655-1340.
Registration
Families who would like to enter their child(ren) into the lottery for the 2025-26 school year must submit to the district a completed registration form by 3:00 p.m. on March 28, 2025. When submitting the completed registration form, copies of the required documents listed on the form must also be submitted. Your registration cannot be completed without them. Incomplete registrations will result in a child being excluded from the lottery.
If a family has twins, triplets, etc., one form should be completed for each student. If more than one student from the same household is selected in the lottery, it is not guaranteed they will be placed in the same UPK classroom. Also, please keep in mind that the selection of one twin, triplet or household member has no effect on the selection of any other siblings during the lottery selection process.
Families of the selected students will be informed no later than April 25, 2025. Students not selected will remain on a waiting list unless their family informs the district that they are no longer interested in the program.
Required Documents for the Registration Process
- Birth Certificate
- Proof of Residency - Parent/Guardian of the student must submit evidence establishing their physical presence in the District. Proof of residency may include:
- Tax bill (homeowners)
- Utility bill
- Lease agreement or mortgage statement
- Statement by a third party landlord, owner or tenant from whom the parent/guardian leases or with whom they share property within the District.
- Identification of Parent/Guardian
- Driver's license
- Passport
- Custody Papers (if applicable)
- Health Records - Including current immunization record
Screening
All incoming PreK students will be screened in early May by school personnel. Families selected in the registration lottery will be contacted in April to schedule a screening appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Families FAQ's Related to NYS Universal PreKindergarten Programs
