Preschool Programs

Highline Public Schools’ Intergenerational Early Learning program is available to children who turned 3 or 4 by August 31 and who reside in the Midway Elementary service area in Des Moines.
Who: Children who turned 3 or 4 by August 31 in the Midway Elementary service area in Des Moines
What: An intergenerational early learning experience in partnership with Wesley Des Moines offering a program focused on social-emotional development and foundational skills in language, literacy and math
Where: Midway Elementary

While at Midway, hours will be Monday thru Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Transportation is not provided. 

Application and Contact Information

If you are interested in having your child enrolled, please contact the Midway Elementary office directly at 206.631.4400 or email Fawn Rinker or Eva Mercado Jaimes.

Enrollment is first-come, first-serve.

Location

Wesley Des Moines
1122 S. 216th St.
Des Moines, 98198

ECEAP is the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program that is free for eligible families. These classes are half-day, AM/PM and run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Families must first complete an application to determine eligibility. 
Please click on the link below to download and complete your application for the 2022-23 school year:

ECEAP APPLICATION  

Solicitud en español

Our neighborhood programs work together to enroll 3 to 4 year old children for school. Once complete, your child’s application places them on the waiting list. Once selected for enrollment, children are placed at sites based on address, family need and available openings.

Please email or mail the site nearest you with your completed 2022-23 application.

CONTACT/SITES

Locations

• Valley View Early Learning Center
• Hilltop Elementary
• Beverly Park Elementary
• Seahurst Elementary
• Mount Rainier High School

This preschool program is part of the Developmental Preschool and is for typically developing children from the community.  Certificated early childhood teachers lead these classes. Spots are limited, and enrollment is on a first come first serve basis. These are half-day AM/PM classes running Monday-Thursday.  Families pay $75/month for this program. 

The Community Peer program is currently full for the 2022-23 school year.

If you would like to be put on a waitlist, please contact Amleset Legesse.

For more information and questions about the program, please contact Rebecca Butz-Houghton.

Five elementary schools and Valley View Early Learning Center support a free Developmental Preschool program with specially designed instruction for young children with special needs.  These children need to qualify through the Child Find evaluation process in order to be eligible for this program. 

Contact

For families with concerns about their child’s development: Speech/language, cognitive (learning difficulties), motor, social emotional/behavior, adaptive (self-help skills), please contact our Special Education Department at 206.631.3009

Locations

• Valley View Early Learning Center
• Hilltop Elementary
• Mount View Elementary
• Gregory Heights Elementary
• Des Moines Elementary

ReadyK! is a transitional kindergarten program for:

• Children who will be 5 years old by August 31, making them eligible to begin kindergarten in the fall
• Children who have had little or no access to a high quality early learning experience
• Children who demonstrate a need for early entrance, as determined by our ReadyK! screenings

Questions? Please reach out to our early learning team at 206.631.3396 or readyk@highlineschools.org.

ReadyK! students will start school in February, rather than waiting until September. The program will be located in various schools across the district. In fall, students will return to their home school for their kindergarten program.