Universal Pre-kindergarten (UPK) is a New York State-funded program specifically designed for children the year before they are eligible for kindergarten.
UPK is a developmentally appropriate, learner-centered educational program to help four-year-olds develop physically, socially, emotionally, linguistically, culturally, and intellectually. The program has a strong emphasis on early literacy and early numeracy to help prepare children for kindergarten.
Basic eligibility requirements:
- must be a Clarence School District resident
- child must be 4 years old by December 1st of the school year
Basic information:
- UPK is 5 days a week, 5 hours per day, 180-day program that follows the District calendar
- Transportation and lunch are not currently provided
- Attendance for UPK Program hours is at no cost to families
- Select centers offer “wrap-around” child care outside the UPK time at family expense (contact the providers for further details)
- Students are randomly selected
- Eligible students must be four years old by December 1 of the school year
