UPK FAQs

There is no deadline for registration; if a family arrives after the start of the school year and their child is eligible for pre-kindergarten, they can enroll.  

A: Students cannot be denied enrollment in prekindergarten regardless of toilet learning status. Parents should send a complete change of clothes to school, to be prepared in case of an accident.

All eligible four-year-olds will participate in the PK program in the least restrictive environment and will receive services according to their individualized education plan.

Consistent with K-5 practices, special education services for UPK students will be based upon the individual needs of each student in the least restrictive learning environment.

Family-style dining is a requirement of the prekindergarten program and is part of the prekindergarten curriculum. It is a meal service which allows children to serve themselves and make choices in food selection and serving sizes. Family-style dining is a best practice and is encouraged by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) because it helps establish healthy lifelong habits and attitudes towards food. Students derive great benefits from participation in family-style dining. Family-style dining promotes growth of social, emotional, language, and motor skills, executive functioning, and an understanding of health and nutrition. All children eat the same foods and enjoy pleasant conversation. Meals and snacks sent from home are not permitted.

Universal Pre-Kindergarten is a full-day preschool program. UPK students will begin and end their school day on their school’s bell schedule. School bell schedules vary by location; please visit your school’s website for more information.

PK will follow an alternate calendar for SY 2024-25; PK students will begin 10 days after K-12 students. The dates will vary based on local calendars. Please check your school’s website for specific dates.

Participation in school-wide events (e.g., Red Ribbon Week, Read Across America) as appropriate, will be a local decision.

Yes, all parents will need to establish an account with their school’s SMP provider after registering their child for UPK through DSIS, DoDEA’s online registration system. SMP providers vary by location. Please visit your child’s school web page for more information on how to establish a student SMP account.

The application process for the FARM program varies across DoDEA, as the providers for the School Meals Program (SMP) are location based. Please visit your child’s school web page for more information on applying for the FARM’s program.

No, family-style breakfast is not part of the UPK curriculum. If a parent chooses their child to participate in the school’s breakfast program, the student will have breakfast prior to the start of the instructional day in the school cafeteria with the K-5 students.

There will not be designated buses for UPK students. UPK students may ride the bus with DoDEA students of other grade levels. At some locations, UPK students may share a bus with middle and/or high school students. There will be a bus attendant on every school bus with UPK students present. School bus transportation is not a requirement; parents may elect to transport their child to school.   

All DoDEA schools participate in the accreditation process for their respective districts. DoDEA schools are accredited by Cognia, a national accreditation agency.

No additional supplies are needed for UPK. 

Yes, all parents will need to establish an account with their school’s SMP provider after registering their child for UPK through DSIS, DoDEA’s online registration system. SMP providers vary by location. Please visit the links provided below for more information on creating a student meal account:

• AAFES (Korea, Misawa, Okinawa, Yokota, Zama) https://www.aafes.com/about-exchange/school-lunch-program/
• MCCS (Iwakuni) https://mccsiwakuni.goodbarber.app/blog-test/c/0/i/64519441/school-meal-program-mypaymentsplus
• NEX (Atsugi, Guam, Sasebo, Yokosuka) https://www.mynavyexchange.com/studentmealprogram/

The application process for the FARM program varies across the Pacific, as the providers for the School Meals Program (SMP) are based on location. Please visit the links provided below for more information and to apply:

• AAFES (Korea, Misawa, Okinawa, Yokota, Zama)  https://www.aafes.com/about-exchange/school-lunch-program/
• MCCS (Iwakuni) https://mccsiwakuni.goodbarber.app/blog-test/c/0/i/64519441/school-meal-program-mypaymentsplus
• NEX (Atsugi, Guam, Sasebo, Yokosuka) https://www.mynavyexchange.com/studentmealprogram/

The first day of school for UPK students will be two weeks after K-12 students. In the Pacific and Europe Region, UPK students will start school on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024.

Car seats are not required on school buses in Japan or Guam. In Korea, all UPK students using DoDEA transportation services will be seated in a car seat to ensure compliance with Host Nation law, which mandates children weigh at least 45 pounds before a car seat is no longer required. Should a UPK student be too large for the car seat, it will not be used. 

A parent/guardian is required to be present at the bus stop for pickup and drop-off of all students in UPK. As an additional security measure, the parent/guardian must provide proof of authorization to collect their UPK student at afternoon drop off (this varies by installation and may be a PIN or other authorization method). If a parent/guardian is not present, the bus will continue the route and contact the parent with an alternate drop-off location. If the parent is unable to collect the student from the alternate drop-off location, the student will be brought back to the school.

In the Pacific Region (Guam, Korea, mainland Japan and Okinawa), Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facilities will provide transportation services for students enrolled in the before and after school program at installations where the CDC/SAC is not a walkable distance from the school. For more information about before and after school programming, please contact the CDC/SAC.