The Dorchester County Public School System invites parents to register their school-age children beginning April 30, 2026, for the 2026-2027 school year. Enrollments cannot be processed until ALL required documents have been received. Please contact the school if you have any questions or need assistance.
CHOPTANK – 410-228-4950
SANDY HILL – 410-228-7978
HURLOCK – 410-943-3303
SOUTH DORCHESTER – 410-901-6934
MAPLE – 410-228-8577
VIENNA – 410-943-3775
WARWICK – 410-943-3588
DCPS Prekindergarten Programs
Dorchester County Public Schools offers high-quality, full-day, prekindergarten programs to support early childhood development and school readiness. In accordance with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, eligibility is determined by income and eligibility criteria. Please refer to the DCPS Enrollment Guidance Document in English or Spanish for more information.
• PK3 programs (limited slots) for the 2026-2027 school year will be available at Maple Elementary, Hurlock Elementary, Vienna Elementary and Sandy Hill Elementary Schools. No out-of-district requests are allowed.
• Tier 1 families (300 percent and below 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines) will be notified on/after July 15th if their child is accepted for the 2026-2027 school year by letter and email.
• Tier 2 (301 to 600 percent 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines) and Tier 3 (601 percent and above 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines) will be notified by no later than September 30th if their child is accepted for the 2026-2027 school year by letter and email.
Mixed Delivery Prekindergarten Programs
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future expanded publicly funded high-quality, full-day prekindergarten opportunities to provide families with a choice between public and private prekindergarten. The following private providers currently participate in Maryland’s Mixed Delivery System. Please contact the provider directly for enrollment and application information, as slots are limited.
• Teeter Tots Preschool
Dani Willey, Owner/Lead Teacher
Phone: 443-521-7125
Email: reneewilley@yahoo.com
• The Learning Garden
Michelle Murphy, Owner/Lead Teacher
Phone: 410-507-4715
Email: mdmurphy904@gmail.com
• Helping Hands Childcare
Lindsay Dawson, Owner/Lead Teacher
Phone: 410-943-7831
Email: dawsonlindsay13@yahoo.com
Age Eligibility
• PK3 students must be 3 years old on or before 9/1/2026
• PK4 students must be 4 years old on or before 9/1/2026
• Kindergarten students must be 5 years old on or before 9/1/2026. Attendance is compulsory—exemptions can be obtained from DCPS Office of Student Services.
• 1st grade must be 6 years old on or before 9/1/2026
Required Documents
The items below MUST be included:
• Proof of Age and Identity of Student
o Birth Certificate
o Valid Unexpired Passport
o Hospital Certificate (proof of live birth) with name of child and parent
o Parents’ notarized affidavit
o Birth Registration, or other legal or notarized identification for child’s identity and date of birth verification
• Proof of Identity of Person Enrolling Student and Relationship to Student
o Driver’s License
o Passport
o Motor Vehicle ID Card
o Other legal form of identification with photograph
• Proof of Residency
o If homeowner, an acceptable document is a current property tax bill or utility bill with property address
o If renter, an acceptable document is a current rental lease. If the original term of the lease has expired, a copy of a current utility bill with property address or a lease extension should be provided, if applicable.
o If shared housing with a homeowner or renter who has bona fide residence in the County, notarized documentation must be provided
• Proof of relationship to student- Examples include:
o Birth certificate of child which identifies the parents
o Court Order
o Separation Agreement or Divorce Decree
o Other legal form of identification
•Proof of Medical Records
o Immunization Records
o Physical Form
o Lead testing results
• Prekindergarten: Proof of Family Income (all adults in the household)— Examples include:
o Tax return -1040, W2s, Schedule C/1099
o Pay stubs (one month of consecutive pay stubs required)
o Notarized Employment Letter
o Notarized letter of no income
o Military Income
o Proof of additional income (TCA letter, child support, rental income, unemployment verification, etc.)
• Out-of-District Requests
o Transportation is not provided for out-of-district students
o K-12 students: the deadline to request out of district consideration is April 30th. Only families who move after April 30th and provide updated proof of residency would be considered after that time. A link will be posted in February on the DCPS webpage and removed on May 1st. Letters of confirmation will be sent by June 15th.
o PK3 schools/slots are limited; therefore, no out-of-district requests will be considered for PK3.
o PK4 out-of-district approvals are extremely limited/rare due to income restrictions. The link for PK4 out of district will be posted to the DCPS webpage in May. The deadline to apply is July 20th. Letters of confirmation will be sent by October 1st.
Online Registration Links:
Documents attached