Central District 301 has two early childhood programs to meet the needs of our youngest students, ages 3 to 5.

For those who qualify, our Early Childhood Special Education program (ECSE) provides specially designed instruction that includes services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy as determined by the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). For this population we have a general education and self-contained placement environment to meet their needs.

For preschool-age children who do not qualify for special education services, we offer our Early Childhood Blended Program which takes place in our general education environment. Programs are offered at Country Trails Elementary School, Howard B. Thomas Grade School, and Prairie View Grade School.

Click here to view the Early Childhood Program Guide.

Click here to view the 2022-2023 Early Childhood Calendar.

2022-2023 Early Childhood Registration

The Central 301 Early Childhood Blended Program will be offered again at Howard B. Thomas Grade School, Prairie View Grade School, and Country Trails Elementary School. Lily Lake students attend the program at Howard B. Thomas.

The process for securing a tuition spot in the Early Childhood Blended Program is below. To secure a tuition spot, families must complete the following steps:

  1. Submit a request for a tuition spot via the links below.
  2. Complete the new student or returning student registration at your serving school.
  3. Submit the $250 deposit (applied to the first month’s tuition fee and non-refundable).
  4. Pay $60 registration fee.

Securing a tuition spot is on a first come, first served basis and once the allotted spots are filled, a waitlist system will be implemented per building. In order to secure a tuition spot, all steps must be completed within 3 weeks. If the steps are not completed within 3 weeks, the family will lose that spot and the next person on the waitlist will be notified.

Early Childhood Special Education

If you have concerns about your child’s development and you wish to have him/her screened for possible entry to the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program, please contact Nicki Coulter at nicki.coulter@central301.net or 847-464-5863 to set up a time for a screening.

The ECSE program meets 5 days a week for half day sessions. Transportation is provided for ECSE students and there is no tuition cost for this program. There is a $60 registration fee.

Early Childhood Blended Program

Students who do not qualify for special education services and who reside within District 301 boundaries may be eligible to enroll in the Early Childhood Blended Program. Each blended classroom is composed of approximately 5 students with IEPs and 10 students without IEPs. Each class meets 5 days a week, with the 3-year-old session from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. and the 4-year-old session from 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. Students must be potty trained in order to participate in the program. There is an annual tuition fee of $2,000 per student (payable in eight monthly payments of $250) for the Blended Program and bus transportation is not provided. There is a $60 registration fee.

Developmental Screening Dates

Every potential early childhood student must have a developmental screening prior to being enrolled in our early childhood program. Screenings will be held at multiple schools and will vary by date. The screening dates for the 2022-2023 school year will be posted soon.

Please contact Nicki Coulter at nicki.coulter@central301.net or 847-464-5863 to schedule a screening appointment.