Dickson County Schools

• Be 4 years of age on or before August 15th of the enrolling school year. 
• Live in the zoned area for the school or be able to provide transportation.
• Provide documentation to apply in Tiers I, II, or III. (Please see Tier classification descriptions at the bottom of the page). 
• All documentation is due at the time of application (enrollment and Tier). *All required documentation must be submitted for the application to be considered complete.
   

In addition to documentation for Tier status, parents are asked to provide the following to enroll child in school and complete the application:

1. PROOF OF CHILD’S AGE, SUCH AS A BIRTH CERTIFICATE
2. TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CERTIFICATE OF IMMUNIZATION/PHYSICAL EXAM FORM
3. COMPLETE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION BY SCHOOL ENTRANCE DATE
4. THREE PROOFS OF RESIDENCE (proof of home ownership, rental agreement, driver's license, voter registration card, current utility bill, telephone bill, cable bill, etc) 
5. COMPLETED Application for Income Eligibility form *Required for ALL applicants.
   VPK Income Eligibility Form.pdf
   
   

Five elementary schools have Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) classes: Dickson Elementary, Oakmont Elementary, Stuart-Burns Elementary, Vanleer Elementary and White Bluff Elementary. If you are zoned for a school that does not offer VPK, you may apply to one of the schools above, but must be able to provide transportation to/from school. Students are accepted to a Pre-K class according to state requirements for Tier Classification (see bottom of page). Classroom spaces are filled in the order of the Tiers, following state guidelines. The Pre-K teachers and principals will decide on the eligibility status of all children and notify parents. Applications will continue to be accepted throughout the school year for all Tiers and applicants may be placed on a waiting list.

If you live in Dickson County and are unsure of the school your child is zoned to attend, you may call Dickson County Schools Transportation at (615) 740-5970. 

*Tier I (Given priority for placement):

• Family meets income eligibility guidelines (TCA 49-6-101-110) (Documentation required for proof: Parent 1040 or DHS Program Participation benefit letter for Food Stamps, Families First, etc.)
• Children of parents fatally wounded in active military duty
  *Applies to all students with or without an IEP

Tier II:

• Children identified with disabilities with a current IEP (submit first page of current IEP for documentation)
• Children identified as English Language Learners 

Tier III: 

• Children living in a single parent home, children whose parents are military deployed in active duty, children of a disabled veteran (50% disabled or more with documentation), children of teen parents, children of parents with limited education, children in the temporary, permanent, or long term care of family or guardian (court documentation required)

Tier IV:

• Eligible four year old students who do not meet the requirements for Tiers I, II, III or those students who have not provided documentation to be classified in another Tier.
  
  

* Senate Bill 1022

• a) Each LEA is authorized to and may provide for enrollment in prekindergarten programs for any at-risk child residing in the geographic area served by the LEA who is four (4) years of age, or who will become four (4) years of age, on or before August 15. Any child may enroll in a program when an insufficient number of at-risk children are enrolled to fill a specific classroom.