Preschool

Highland Park offers a full-day preschool program for students who are three or four years old by September 1 and either live within the HPISD boundaries and/or meet the requirements of one of the three pathways listed below. Enrollment is limited and prioritized first on the basis of need and then on the availability of seats. Each class is capped at 22 students and staffed with one certified teacher and at least two instructional assistants.

Classes are held at each of our elementary campuses from 7:55 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The program emphasizes the development of essential academic, social, and developmental skills within a supportive and engaging learning environment.

Highland Park ISD is committed to identifying and serving all children with disabilities residing within its boundaries who may require special education and related services. If you suspect or know of a child with a disability, please contact our Special Programs Department.

Let's get started

Ericca Vandagriff

DIRECTOR

School: (214) 780-3087

Explore Our Preschool Program

Highland Park Preschool Handbook

3 Pathways to HPISD Preschool

Eligibility for the Preschool Program is limited to HPISD residents and to children of full-time professional HPISD staff through one of the following three pathways.

Early Childhood Special Education Students (ECSE)

Students with identified disabilities who are three or four years old by September 1 may qualify for services. A special education evaluation is required to determine eligibility, followed by an ARD Committee meeting to decide whether participation in the ECSE program is appropriate.

For students in the ECSE program for whom a full day is not suitable, the ARD Committee may assign adjusted hours. Children classified as ECSE will receive preschool services in HPISD at no cost.

Pre-Kindergarten Eligible Students

Students who meet at least one of the state eligibility criteria may enroll in the HPISD Preschool program at no cost or a reduced tuition rate. Eligibility is determined by meeting one or more of the following requirements:

Income-Based: The total combined income (before taxes) of all adults in the child’s household must fall within the state guidelines for free or reduced-price meals.
Emergent Bilingual/Limited English Proficiency: The child has limited English proficiency due to another language being spoken at home. An English language proficiency test must be administered to determine eligibility.
Homelessness: The child qualifies as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act.
Military: The child is the dependent of an active-duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or of a parent who was injured or killed while serving on active duty.
Foster Care: The child is currently in foster care or was previously placed in foster care.
Star of Texas Award: The child is the dependent of a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder who has received the Star of Texas Award.
Classroom Teacher: The child is the dependent of a full-time classroom teacher employed by HPISD and is four years old by September 1.

Tuition-Based

How To Apply To Preschool

Step 1: Preschool Application

To begin the qualification process for HPISD Preschool, please review the pathways listed above. Students who are currently enrolled do not need to reapply. Once your application has been reviewed and accepted, you will be contacted with instructions for the next step: enrollment.

Please do not enroll at a campus until you have received confirmation that your application has been accepted. All families will be notified by email no later than DECEMBER 12. A separate application must be submitted for each child if more than one child is applying.

2026-2027 Preschool Application Opens at 8 am on Friday, October 10th. Click here to apply.

Step 2: Enrollment

Step 3: Tuition & Contract Agreement

Once the four-step enrollment process is complete, campus registrars will review and process the submitted documents.

Tuition-paying families: Contract agreements will be sent by email in early December. Contracts must be completed upon receipt, and deposits will be charged to student accounts.
Non-tuition families: No contract agreement will be issued.

Please note: A preschool spot is not secured until the contract (if applicable) and deposit have been received.