Preschool Years
The many benefits of high-quality preschool education are clear, from preparing children for kindergarten to improving test scores throughout school. Studies also show that children who attend Pre-K are less likely to repeat grades and more likely to graduate from high school than those who do not.
We are happy to offer tuition assistance at quality preschool programs in Henrico County to families who meet specific criteria. These services are offered to children who will be 3 or 4 years old by September 30th of the upcoming school year. In these programs your child will build math, literacy and other great skills using a developmentally appropriate, hands-on curriculum while also gaining social skills through engaging with other children their age. All preschool programs include healthy snacks and meals.
Our tuition assistance only covers the “school hours” portion of the day, which is considered the 5 ½ hours of instructional time during the school day, excluding nap. *Before and/or after care, and care on days that HCPS schools are closed is available for an additional fee.
Have questions? Visit our FAQ’s page.
We have partnered with multiple private centers across the county to provide parents with choice in where their child attends preschool. View our list of partner centers for the 2025-2026 school year.
Registration for the 2026-2027 school year will open February 14, 2026.
When applying for preschool funding and placement there are three steps:
Do you have questions or concerns about your child’s behavior or development?
Child Find is the process school divisions must use to locate, identify and evaluate children who need special education and related services. It is the first step in the process of determining if a child is eligible for special education.
Complete the screening application online
If you are unable to apply online, email info@vaelp.org or call (804) 877-9413 to schedule an appointment to apply in person.
After completing the screening application, you will be contacted via email within 7 days with your child’s eligibility results:
- If you receive an eligibility email to move to step 2, it is your responsibility to complete the full application and upload the required documents. These documents support your application and verify your child’s eligibility.
- If you receive an email stating your child is ineligible, it means that your child does not qualify for the Virginia Early Learning Preschool program. You will be offered referral to other preschool options upon request.
- If you have not received an email after 7 days (you may need to check your spam folder), please email info@vaelp.org to follow up. Please include your child’s name, DOB, and date of prescreening in your email.
If you are tentatively eligible, you’ll be asked to provide documentation to confirm eligibility. Your application will not be reviewed until the full application AND all required documents are uploaded to info@henricogives.org. (Documents are listed in the application packet.)
If you were found eligible, you will receive an email stating that your application is either complete or that more information is needed.
*All families accepted into the community VPI program will be notified starting April 14, 2025. Those accepted will receive an email with information about the next steps to secure their child’s space.