Des Moines Public Schools’ Early Childhood Programs provide quality learning experiences to help promote growth of young children and their families. We do this by offering free quality preschool with several options to best meet the needs of families, including a variety of locations, class times, and half- or full-day plans. All of the DMPS preschool sites are staffed by certified teachers, the
leading indicator of quality programming that holds to strict standards and is research-based. The Pre-K curriculum also features the availability of an array of support services ranging from home visits to family events to screening referrals. In each of the last three years, students who attended preschool scored higher in all six components of the Phonemic Awareness Profile [PAP], an instrument administered annually to district kindergartners. Those results are part of the mountain of evidence demonstrating that investment in quality preschool programs pays exponential dividends down the road in terms of a myriad of reduced social costs. Starting right from the Pre-K level and straight through high school graduation, Des Moines schools are at the forefront of 21st century public education. The district’s Enrollment Center houses many resources for families interested in preschool and may be reached at 242-7588
