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Lancaster Central School District

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Universal Pre-kindergarten (UPK) Lottery Procedure

The custodial parent, who is a legal resident of the Lancaster Central School District, should submit a lottery application by the date determined by the District. Only one application may be submitted per family. Duplicates cannot be accepted and will be removed prior to the lottery. Preference for morning, afternoon or full-day classes should be noted. 

The District uses a lottery procedure in which names are drawn randomly. The lottery will be held virtually. The District will provide the information to view the lottery to participants via email approximately one week prior to the lottery. 

Available seats are filled as follows: 

  1. All submitted names will go into the randomizer. 
  2. You will be placed in your first choice if that session is open. If it is closed, you will be placed in your second choice, if open. If your first and second choices are closed, you will be placed in your third choice, if open. 
  3. If all of your session preferences are closed, the student will be placed on the waitlist.
  4. Twins, triplets, etc. are automatically enrolled if their sibling is chosen, if there is room in that time period. 
  5. Registration and requests for documents (including medical and home language) will be disseminated to parents in the spring and must be completed by the deadline. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of your child’s UPK seat and your child being placed on the waitlist. 
  6. Classroom teacher assignments will be disseminated over the summer by Carousel  Academy.  

Lottery results will be available at the lottery, and results will be provided by email within two weeks of the lottery. Lancaster Central School District and Carousel Academy are unable to provide results by phone, US Mail, fax, text, or in person. 

Applications received after the lottery application due date/time will be placed on the waitlist. 

Please note: Children cannot occupy a space in a class while on the waitlist for a different session. For example, a child cannot hold a seat in the afternoon class and be on the full-day waitlist. 

Changes from one session to another will not be accepted.