Cherokee Schools Open Pre-K Lottery Applications for 2026-27

<p><em>Woodstock Community News| Woodstock, GA</em></p><p>The Cherokee County School District has opened the application window for its 2026-27 Georgia Lottery Pre-K program, offering parents of upcoming four-year-olds a chance to secure a spot in the district's early learning classrooms before the deadline later this month.</p><p>Classes for the upcoming school year will be held at seven specific locations: Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, Holly Springs ES STEM Academy, Johnston ES Preschool Center, Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy, R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, and the Ralph Bunche Center. To be eligible for the program, students must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026.</p><p>The application process involves strict deadlines. Applications are due online by noon on February 27. Following the initial application, parents must submit required documentation, including proof of date of birth, parent/guardianship, and residency, by March 11. Because enrollment is limited, the district will conduct a lottery drawing at each Pre-K site at 3 p.m. on March 18 to determine placement, prioritizing students residing within that specific site's attendance area.</p><p>District officials advise that waitlists are common for these spots. Parents seeking alternatives can search for available Lottery-funded Pre-K slots at private providers through the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). Separately, the district’s Head Start program for 3- and 4-year-olds at Johnston Preschool Center and Ralph Bunche Center will begin accepting applications on March 1.</p>