About Pre-K

[ADMIRE 3]

Pls pple, can anyone enlighten me on the Pre-k programme. Got a school with an opening around where we live and have an appointment with them tomorrow, but hubbys is concerned it might be a social benefit we are not entitled to. I dont think so, but need to be sure we are not doing anything illegal. I check the Welcome manual to new immigrants but didnt find anything on Pre-K.

Pls advice.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

IS THIS A PUBLIC SCHOOL BENEFIT, THEN THE CHILD CAN ENROLL. Pre-K programs sometimes are offered to those based on income, but still if your income qualifies and it's a public school benefit, then use it.

[Afrikan Queen 11]

Best to just go to the appt. You'll learn more about their programs there.

[TheFantastics09 19]

Best to just go to the appt. You'll learn more about their programs there.

Most of these programs either expect you to pay, or the cost is covered if the child falls in a special needs category (very broad), or your family's income amount is low enough to qualify for a subsidy.

Good Luck!

[P and G 5]

Here is a link to Georgia's Pre-K Programme.

http://decal.ga.gov/BftS/EnrollingInPreK.aspx

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

From USCIS:

Benefits Not Subject to Public Charge Consideration:

• Educational assistance (such as attending public school), including benefits under the Head Start Act and aid for elementary, secondary, or higher education

Education is under State guidelines (but also have federal mandates), so getting in will depend on your state. In my state the criteria is homeless, unable to speak English, very low income, or parent on active duty in the military or killed in action.

[ADMIRE 3]

From USCIS:

Benefits Not Subject to Public Charge Consideration:

• Educational assistance (such as attending public school), including benefits under the Head Start Act and aid for elementary, secondary, or higher education

Education is under State guidelines (but also have federal mandates), so getting in will depend on your state. In my state the criteria is homeless, unable to speak English, very low income, or parent on active duty in the military or killed in action.

Am not sure i know what the above means u know? Do u mind saying it in layman's language? However, i found the below in the Georgia State's link, :

"Is this child eligible for Georgia's Pre-K Program?

To participate, children must be four years of age on or before September 1 of the school year and must be a resident of Georgia. Five-year-old children who have not previously attended the Pre-K program and who have late birthdays or developmental delays that impact their readiness for school may also enroll at the request of their parents."

Sounds like just 2 rqmts to me??

[ADMIRE 3]

ok. i think this says it all. Pre-k is not considered a public charge benefit.

Benefits Not Subject to Public Charge Consideration

Under the agency guidance, non-cash benefits and special-purpose cash benefits that are not intended for income maintenance are not subject to public charge consideration. Such benefits include:

• Medicaid and other health insurance and health services (including public assistance for immunizations and for testing and treatment of symptoms of communicable diseases, use of health clinics, short-term rehabilitation services, prenatal care, and emergency medical services) other than support for long-term institutional care

• Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

• Nutrition programs, including Food Stamps, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program, and other supplementary and emergency food assistance programs

• Housing benefits

• Child care services

• Energy assistance, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

• Emergency disaster relief

• Foster care and adoption assistance

• Educational assistance (such as attending public school), including benefits under the Head Start Act and aid for elementary, secondary, or higher education

• Job training programs

• In-kind, community-based programs, services, or assistance (such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling and intervention, and short-term shelter)

• Non-cash benefits under TANF such as subsidized child care or transit subsidies

• Cash payments that have been earned, such as Title II Social Security benefits, government pensions, and veterans' benefits, among other forms of earned benefits, do not support a public charge determination

• Unemployment compensation is also not considered for public charge purposes

Some of the above programs may provide cash benefits, such as energy assistance, transportation or child care benefits provided under TANF or the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and one-time emergency payments under TANF. Since the purpose of such benefits is not for income maintenance, but rather to avoid the need for on-going cash assistance for income maintenance, they are not subject to public charge consideration.

[patient2010 93]

Good luck with the enrollments sounds like fun times.....

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Am not sure i know what the above means u know? Do u mind saying it in layman's language?

Sorry. Do you mean this part?

Education is under State guidelines (but also have federal mandates), so getting in will depend on your state.

It means every state will decide how public schools run in their state, so there are 50 different sets of rules. But sometimes the federal government (The United States Congress) will tell all states what they must do in certain situations like Rights of the Hanicapped for example. I didn't know your state at the time. Sounds like Georgia Pre-K is open to most. Go for it!

[ADMIRE 3]

Sorry. Do you mean this part?

It means every state will decide how public schools run in their state, so there are 50 different sets of rules. But sometimes the federal government (The United States Congress) will tell all states what they must do in certain situations like Rights of the Hanicapped for example. I didn't know your state at the time. Sounds like Georgia Pre-K is open to most. Go for it!

Thanks Nich-Nick. Wld let y'all know how it went tomorrow! I sure don't feel alone anytime am on VJ.