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Preschool Options
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Decatur Public Schools currently offers two options for our earliest learners:
Pershing Early Learning Program
The Pershing Early Learning Program is designed to meet the needs of our youngest learners and their families. We encourage learning through play, provide students with a literacy-rich environment, and focus on social and emotional development. By working together with parents, we are able to provide many DPS children with a successful preschool experience which meets their needs and prepares them for kindergarten. Pershing Early Learning Program is grant-funded and does not require students to pay tuition to attend the program.
Contact Pershing Early Learning Program at 217.362.3300 if you have questions about PreK screenings.
PreK at Montessori Academy for Peace
The PreK program at Montessori Academy for Peace offers preschool for 3- and 4-year-old students, who are placed in Early Childhood classrooms that also include kindergarten-aged students. The Montesssori PreK is tuition-based and offers full-day, half-day AM, and half-day PM options. Placements in all Montessori PreK seats are determined through the magnet lottery process, which opens in December for the following school year. Click here to learn more about the magnet school lottery process and how to apply.
Current Montessori PreK Families: Click here to pay PreK tuition online.