COVID-19 & Pre-K Registration

  • All EWSD school buildings and district offices are presently closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, we are unable to distribute and collect hard copies of registration paperwork in person at this time. For school-based programs (see details below), registration paperwork has been mailed to families; please refer to your cover letter regarding submission of completed paperwork. For Universal Pre-K/Act 166 (see details below), families may email or mail completed paperwork to Johanna at any time - contact information listed on Act 166 Registration page - or wait until buildings re-open to submit hard copies. Thank you!

EWSD Prekindergarten Options

Universal Pre-K/Act 166 Funding


  • Act 166 funding covers 10 hours/week of pre-K tuition at qualified programs throughout our community. Please visit our Act 166 FAQs page for additional information.

    Eligible students are at least 3 years old on September 1st.

    Registration is open and ongoing.

  • 2020-2021 School Year

    • Students with birth dates on/before September 1, 2017 are eligible to register for the 2020-2021 school year
    • Visit our Act 166 Registration page for more information
    • The district encourages families to register for Act 166 funding by July 15th
    • Act 166 fund distribution for the 2020-2021 school year is pro-rated based on a September 1, 2020 start date
    • If you received Act 166 funding through EWSD during the 2019-2020 school year, you do not need to re-register for the 2020-2021 school year

    2021-2022 School Year

    • Registration materials for the 2021-2022 school year will be made available in January 2021; please check back then!
    • Students with birth dates on/before September 1, 2018 will be eligible to register for the 2021-2022 school year

Prekindergarten at EWSD Elementary Schools

  • The Essex Westford School District offers school-based prekindergarten programs at Essex Elementary School, Hiawatha Elementary School, Summit Street School, and Westford School.

    Eligible students are at least 3 years old on September 1st.

    Space is limited in our school-based programs, and placement is determined by a lottery draw each year.

  • 2020-2021 School Year

    • The window for requesting a 2020-2021 pre-K slot is now closed
    • A lottery drawing was held in mid-March to determine placement, and initial placement letters have been mailed to families
    • For additional information, or to request a spot on the 2020-2021 pre-K registration waiting list, please contact Johanna at jsimmons@ewsd.org

    2021-2022 School Year

    • We will begin gathering registration requests for the 2021-2022 school year in January 2021; please check back then! Requests will be gathered via a Google Form that will be posted to this website