When will the results of the 2026-2027 lottery be shared with families?

The lottery for the 2026-2027 school year is planned to occur in late March as posted on the WCSD website. Families will be notified by the evening of March 31st, 2026 via the parent/guardian email(s) used at the time of registration.

Will a family be told if they did not receive a placement during the lottery process?

Yes, families who did not receive a placement as a result of the random, digitized lottery will be notified by the end of the day on March 31st, 2026.

Why didn't I get the location I wanted? Can I be moved to that location?

All eligible, registered students are entered into a random, digitized lottery. In any year where there are MORE students eligible and interested in UPK than there are available placements, a random, digitized lottery is held. Whether or not a student receives an open spot is determined by the results of the random, digitized lottery. The location a student is offered is also based on the results of the random, digitized lottery since an order is generated by the random, digitized lottery. For that reason, once ALL LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN OFFERED, STUDENTS CANNOT BE MOVED or SWITCHED.

Why was I offered a location that I did not list as one of my preferences?

If none of the locations you listed as your preferences were available at the time your number came up in the lottery, you will be offered ANY available location. You may choose to accept a location offer, decline a location offer and be placed on the waitlist, or decline the program completely (no further communication or offers will be sent to you from the UPK program). Families will continue to receive offers until they have either 1) accepted a location; 2) declined ALL locations IF they are offered; or 3) declined the program. As a reminder, a placement will ONLY become available if an individual who was offered a placement declines their spot.

Is there a waitlist for a specific location (ex: Forest Elementary, Childtime, etc.)?

No. The waitlist is for all UPK locations. If you are placed on the waitlist, you will be offered the next open placement that becomes available at ANY location, should that occur. Once all spots have been filled for the 2026-2027 school year, a student would have to decline their spot for another one to become available, which is unlikely. If you decline a location, you will not be offered that location again, and you will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist. Once you have declined all locations, you will be removed from the waitlist.

How long will I be on the waitlist?

The lottery for the 2026-2027 school year is planned to occur in late March. Once all UPK placements for the 2026-2027 school year are filled, all remaining students who did not receive a placement based on the random, digitized lottery will be placed on the waitlist. 

A placement will ONLY become available if an individual who was offered a placement declines their spot. Therefore, it is very unlikely that many spots will become available following the lottery. You will be contacted by the District via email should a spot become available.

If I decline my placement in the program and choose to go on the waitlist, will I lose my spot in the program? 

Yes. In that scenario, you have given up your spot, which will now be offered to the next student on the waitlist, and you will be added to the waitlist for a potential opening in ANY location (please see question above about this). In order to be guaranteed a spot in the program, you would need to accept a placement as offered as there are many students waiting for a ANY available placement.

How can I find out where my child is on the waitlist?

We are unable to share waitlist information. If a placement opens and becomes available, the next student on the waitlist will be emailed and offered the placement. Please be sure to accept emails from upk@williamsvillek12.org and avoid blocking this email address with spam filters. In the event you receive a placement email, you will have two days (48 hours) from the time the email is sent to reply regarding the placement. If we have not received a response within the required timeframe, the next student on the waitlist will be offered that placement, so please check your email frequently. There will be no exceptions to this timeline because the placement is offered to the next student.

I registered my child for the Williamsville Central School District after the deadline and would like to be added to the waitlist. Is there anything I need to do at this time?

You do not need to do anything further at this time. We have your information and we will add you to the waitlist following the lottery in the order in which your completed registration was received. We will contact you via email if a spot becomes available.

What are the UPK locations and times for the 2026-2027 school year?

Families of students at sites with more than one time slot will be notified no later than the end of April which time slot their child was assigned during the lottery process.

Can I switch locations and/or times with another family?

Location and time switches are not permitted. 

Another location would be more convenient for my family. Is the district able to switch my location?

No, UPK placements are offered based on the lottery, and therefore cannot be changed. 

Can I select or change my start time if there is more than one start time at my site?

No, time changes are NOT permitted because they are tied to the placement for each individual child. 

Where can I get information about wrap care?

Please call the location of your placement after the lottery and speak with the director. This information is sent in the placement email.

Is the district able to accommodate a change in time for me once the school year has started?

No, we are unable to make any time changes. 

How can I determine if my child is eligible for UPK?

Children who will be four years of age by December 1, 2026 and reside in the Williamsville Central School District are eligible for the 2026-2027 Universal Prekindergarten Program.

Is my child entitled to UPK?

No. While access to UPK programs continue to expand in New York State, UPK is not currently available to all families in all districts. In districts where UPK is available, entry is based on eligibility and a lottery system. Not all families who register for UPK are guaranteed a spot.

*Referenced from NYSED.gov 

Is there a cost for the UPK Program?

No, the UPK program is funded by NYSED.

What do I need to do to participate in the UPK Program?

The process has changed for the 2026-2027 school year and is open now! Information is posted on the UPK page of the Williamsville Central School District's website. 

Parents and guardians interested in having their eligible four-year-old child considered must register their child as a NEW student of the Williamsville Central School District. The online UPK registration link can be found on the Williamsville Central School District's UPK page and is linked HERE.

IMPORTANT: Parents and guardians should carefully read all of the information and eligibility requirements for the UPK lottery which can be found on the Williamsville Central School District's UPK page. 

Where should I go for additional information and questions?

• https://www.williamsvillek12.org/departments/instruction/universal-pre-k

• Email upk@williamsvillek12.org