Program Placement Process
The Program Placement Process begins immediately after the application deadline. Applicants are assigned to one of our Partner Programs based on the information and rank choice preferences they submit during the application process.
While we make every effort to place applicants in their first-choice program, placement is subject to availability, capacity limits, and program-specific requirements. As a result, we cannot guarantee first-choice placement for all applicants.
Program Placement Process
Application Review: After the application deadline, all submissions are reviewed for completeness and eligibility.
Placement:
If there are fewer applications than available spaces, all applicants will be placed in a Gorham Public Pre-K Program.
If there are more applications than available spaces, applicants will be placed through a lottery. Priority will be given to those applicants with academic, developmental, or socioeconomic needs.
Applicants who are not initially placed in a program will be placed on a waitlist. Being on the waitlist means there is still a possibility of admission if a spot becomes available due to a student withdrawing or failing to complete the registration process on time.
Rank Choice Assignment: Applicants are assigned to Partner Programs based on their ranked preferences.
Capacity Consideration: If a program reaches capacity, applicants will be placed in their next highest-ranked available program.
Final Placement Notification: Families will be notified of their status within the specified timeline.
Waitlist Procedures
Placement on the Waitlist:
Students who are not initially placed in a Partner Program will be automatically added to the waitlist based on their lottery ranking.
Applicants who apply after the application deadline are added to the waitlist by their application submission date.
Admission from the Waitlist:
If an enrolled student withdraws or fails to complete registration by the deadline, the next student on the waitlist will be offered the spot.
Families will be contacted in the order they appear on the waitlist.
Once contacted, families will have a specific timeline to accept or decline the available spot.
Families who do not respond within the given timeframe will be removed from the waitlist.
Legacy Students
Applicants who have completed the three-year-old program at a partner location are guaranteed a spot in the public Pre-K program, provided they meet all standard enrollment requirements.
Eligibility Criteria:
The applicant must have attended and completed the three-year-old program at a partner location.
Families must apply within the designated application period.
All other required documentation, including proof of prior attendance, must be provided upon request.
This policy does not apply to applicants who did not complete the full three-year-old program at the partner programs. Families who miss the enrollment deadline may forfeit their guaranteed placement.