Preschool
Department of Early Childhood Education
Nutley Public Schools is proud to continue expanding its high-quality preschool program through the Preschool Expansion Grant/State Aid Program. This exciting opportunity allows us to provide free, full-day preschool to eligible students in a nurturing, engaging, and developmentally appropriate learning environment.
The Preschool Lottery application is now available HERE. Please note that the application process is not first-come, first-served.
Lottery Week
The Raising Raiders Preschool Lottery will take place during the week of March 16, 2026.
Notification to Families
Families will receive written notification by March 20, 2026, informing them whether their child:
- Has secured a seat in the program, or
- Has been placed on the waitlist.
Accepting a Seat
Families who are offered a seat must confirm acceptance by emailing preschool@nutleyschools.org no later than March 27, 2026.
If a response is not received by this date, the seat will be offered to a student on the waitlist.
Registration Deadline
Families who accept a seat must complete the district registration process by May 1, 2026. Failure to complete registration by this date will result in the seat being offered to a student on the waitlist.
Please note that acceptance into the program does not guarantee placement at a specific location. Student placement is determined by the district and will be communicated at a later date.
Eligibility Reminder:
Children must be three or four years old by October 1, 2026 to be eligible for enrollment. In accordance with state guidelines, students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch will be given priority consideration.
Click on the link below to access the Parent Academy Powerpoint:
Incoming Parent Academy Powerpoint
Raising Raiders PreK Program Information
Nutley Public Schools is fortunate to have the opportunity to provide free, high-quality preschool to enrolled students. We provide a 6 hour school day program, Monday through Friday, for our 3 and 4 year old students. Hours are typically 8:45-2:45 but are subject to vary depending on the location. Raising Raiders follows the Nutley Public Schools calendar, in all locations.
AGE REQUIREMENT: In order to be eligible for a 3-year-old class, your child must be 3-years-old by October 1, 2026. In order to be eligible for a 4-year-old classroom, your child must be 4-years-old by October 1, 2026.
All students must be a resident of Nutley in order to maintain enrollment in our program.
Please see below for FAQ.
You can access our Parent Academy for incoming Raising Raiders students and families here!
You can check out and purchase Raising Raiders spiritwear here!!!!!
For inquiries about the Raising Raiders program, please email preschool@nutleyschools.org
Frequently Asked Questions about Preschool
- How many seats were added to the program this year?
The lottery was conducted on March 18, 2026. Results were directly emailed to applicants.
Forty five new seats were added to the program for the 26-27 school year. Enrolled 3 year old students are automatically enrolled as 4 year old students. We currently have 105 three year old students that will return for the 26-27 school year. Seats are also reserved for students with Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). As per NJDOE special education code, students with IEPs are placed in the preschool program at the discretion of the Child Study Team. As a result of all of the above mentioned factors, a lottery will be conducted for 185 seats. This year we had approximately 337 applications.
- Do I have to be a Nutley resident to enroll my child in the preschool program?
Yes, you must be a Nutley resident to attend the Nutley Raising Raiders preschool program. Please note you must provide all required proofs of residency in order for your child to attend the preschool program. Registration information can be found here.
- Does my child have to be toilet trained to enroll in the program?
No, your child does not need to be toilet trained to enroll in the program. Our staff will work with families on toilet training while enrolled in the program.
- How old does my child have to be to participate in the program?
For the 26-27 school year, students must be 3 years of age on or before October 1, 2026 or 4 years of age on or before October 1, 2026. If your child turns 5 years old on or before October 1, 2026, you must register your child for kindergarten.
- My student was placed on the waitlist. Now what?
Students selected from the lottery must complete the registration process by May 1, 2026. Failure to do so will result in loss of the seat and moving to the waitlist. Families may also be called from the waitlist in the event a family declines their seat, or disenrolls from the program. Please note that the waitlist number you receive is only valid for the current lottery. Families on the waitlist must re-enter the lottery annually. Your current lottery number does not influence acceptance or waitlist number for the following lottery. The lottery is conducted using an anonymous and randomized process, and district staff verify the results to ensure that all applications are treated fairly and that no identifying information influences the outcome.
- I have one child already in the Raising Raiders program. Does this mean their sibling is automatically accepted?
No, siblings are not automatically accepted into the program. The lottery is conducted using an anonymous and randomized process, and district staff verify the results to ensure that all applications are treated fairly and that no identifying information influences the outcome.
- How long is the preschool program? Does my child have to attend five days a week? Does my child have to attend full day?
The program is five days a week, 6 hours a day. Preschool follows the Nutley school calendar for all school breaks, delayed openings and early dismissals. Arrival and dismissal time may vary by location. Students must attend five days a week for the 6 hour program, provided they are not sick.
- Where will the preschool classes be held for the 2026-2027 school year?
We anticipate having 12 district classrooms and 10 provider classrooms for the 26-27 school year. Classrooms will be held at the Nutley Early Childhood Center, Spring Garden, Washington and Lincoln School. Additionally, classes will be held at Community School, Preschool Learntime (Bloomfield Avenue and St. Paul's locations), as well as All About Kids. Please note that locations are subject to change.
- Is extended day available for preschool students?
Yes, extended day services are currently available at the following locations:
- The Community School
- Preschool Learn Time
- All About Kids
- Nutley Early Childhood Center located on Bloomfield Avenue
Important Information:
Extended day is not part of the 6-hour Universal Preschool program. It is a separate entity offered independently by each provider and the district annex location.
Availability is not guaranteed. Fees and structure of the program may vary by site.
Extended Day Contact Information:
For questions about extended day availability, scheduling, or fees, please contact the appropriate site director directly:
- The Community School: Joan Skorupski, 973-661-0789
- Preschool Learn Time: Pavana Thatavarthi, preschool.learntime@gmail.com
- District Location: extday@nutleyschools.org
- Will parent preference be taken into account for placement of my child?
Student placement is at the discretion of the district. A variety of factors are considered when determining student placement. Parental preference may be considered but cannot be guaranteed.
- What curriculum is used in the Raising Raiders Preschool program?
The district implements state approved, “The Creative Curriculum for Preschool” in our preschool classrooms.
- How does the lottery work?
Every entrant application is placed on either the selected list or the waitlist based on the order in which their application is randomly drawn. Parents will be notified via email of their child’s status once the lottery is conducted. Those children who did not get selected are immediately placed on a waitlist in the order of their assigned number via the lottery process.
We will fill the 22 preschool classrooms as follows:
Currently enrolled 3 year-old Nutley resident students in our preschool program in 2025-2026 will be automatically enrolled as 4 year-olds in 2026-2027.
Selected applicants from the lottery will be slotted into a classroom if and when their registration process is completed by May 1st. Failure to do so will result in us calling applicants from the waitlist in order.
Children with IEPs do not participate in the lottery. As per NJDOE code, students with IEPs will be placed in the preschool program at the discretion of the Child Study Team.
Every entrant application is placed on either the selected list or the waitlist based on the order in which their application is randomly drawn. Parents will be notified via email of their child’s status once the lottery is conducted. Those children who did not get selected are immediately placed on a waitlist in the order of their assigned number via the lottery process.
Preschool for Students with Disabilities
Preschool students with disabilities may be eligible for special education services as indicated under federal law, IDEA, and state law, N.J.A.C. 1:6A. In order to receive special education services, the pre-school child will need to be referred to the Child Study Team for evaluation. Children may be eligible for services on the day of their third birthday. The initial referral should be directed to the Director of Special Services. Once a referral is received, a meeting will be convened with the parent and the pre-school Child Study Team. If the parents and the child study team agree to conduct an evaluation, an evaluation plan will be designed. An evaluation plan typically includes a multi-disciplinary set of evaluations such as a cognitive assessment, social assessment and a speech and language evaluation. Other evaluations may be added if needed. Once the evaluations are completed, an eligibility meeting will be held to determine the student's eligibility for services. If the student is eligible for special education services, an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) will be developed and services will be initiated. Please visit the Special Services page for more information.
Scholarly articles on the Benefits of Preschool
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/19/08/lasting-gains-preschool
https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2018/01/12/long-term-benefits-of-preschool-for-real-or-fadeout.aspx
https://earlylearningin.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fadeoutfaq.earlylearningindiana.pdf
https://hechingerreport.org/pre-k-researchers-cant-get-past-the-third-grade/
https://www.sreb.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/fadeoutonepager_final.pdf