Fall preschool placements to begin soon
The assignment of preschool placements for fall 2026 begins March 2 at all city preschools, including both public and private preschools. Most openings become available when an entire class of children starts elementary school and when spots open at nursery schools because older children move to public preschools.
All applications go through Vala
Assigning fall placements takes several weeks, and applications cannot be changed during this period, from March 2 to April 15. All preschool enrollment applications must be submitted through Vala, whether for public preschools or private preschools.
As before, parents select their top choice preschool first, then list other schools in order of preference, up to seven preschools total. Placements are assigned based on children's age, with the system first checking for an opening at the top-ranked preschool on an application before moving down the list. This first and largest phase of the placement process covers applications for children born in February 2025 or earlier. Exceptions to this birth-date order include children granted priority placement for reasons such as disability or social conditions.
Private preschools generally follow the same waitlist rules as municipal schools, as outlined in the Rules on Preschool Services.
Parents and legal guardians must review their applications before March 2. Further details about the upcoming placement process will be published later this month, and officials urge parents and guardians to watch for these updates.