About

Full-Day Program:  

• Annual Tuition: $9,000

 Half-Day Program:

• Annual Tuition: $3,600

Deposit

Upon acceptance into the program, a $200 deposit must be paid to the Preschool Administrative Assistant to reserve the child’s spot in the program. Please see the Payment Methods below.

Publicly Funded Childcare (Vouchers)

Apply for publicly funded childcare

Free & Reduced-Price Meals

Students qualifying for free or reduced-price may also qualify for tuition reduction. Free and Reduced Meals. Please contact Deirdre Storms at 216-295-5593 or storms_d@shaker.org.

Apply for Free & Reduced-Price Meals

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK)

Information coming soon!

Payment Frequency

Tuition payments are due two weeks prior to the date services are rendered.

For the 2024-2025 school year, the first day of preschool is August 26 and the last day is May 29. Therefore, the first payment is due August 9, 2024, and the final payment is due May 16, 2025.

Payment Methods

Cash: Exact amount marked in a closed envelope with the child's name and teacher on the envelope. 

Cashier’s Check: Made payable to Shaker Heights Schools, Attn: Courtnei Blockson

Direct Payment Plan: Tuition can be deducted automatically from your checking or savings account. To enroll in this option, please contact Andrea Dobbins at dobbins_a@shaker.org.

Money Order: Made payable to Shaker Heights Schools, Attn: Courtnei Blockson

Personal Check: Made payable to Shaker Heights Schools, Attn: Courtnei Blockson (If payment is returned due to insufficient funds, the parent/guardian will be required to submit payment via one of the other listed payment methods above.)

In the District’s current program, all classes include both students who have been identified to have disabilities and those who have not been so identified and serve as peer models.

With a commitment to provide an inclusionary educational setting for our students with disabilities, the practice of including "peer models" in our preschool classrooms is used and recommended by the Ohio Department of Education. Peer models provide an excellent learning example for our students with disabilities, and also benefit from a rich developmentally appropriate preschool experience with exposure to children with differences.

The Shaker Heights Early Childhood Program is looking for Peer Models for the 2024-2025 school year for both full-day, half-day morning and half-day afternoon classes. Students are screened in the areas of speech/language, motor skills, social skills/behavior, pre-academic skills and daily living skills. Your child must:

• Be three years of age by August 1, 2024
• Live within the Shaker Heights City School District attendance zone
• Have the ability to comply with adult requests in a timely manner
• Be completely toilet trained (can nap without accident)
• Transition easily
• Be flexible with routines
• Be able to separate from caregiver without distress 
• Demonstrate age appropriate: 
  1. Play skills that demonstrate sharing and turn taking
  2. Language and communication skills
  3. Independence and the ability to take initiative
  4. Self help skills (dressing, toileting, caring for own belongings)

If you believe that your child meets the above criteria, the next step is to have your child screened by our Early Childhood Program staff. To apply to be screened, please complete this screening application.

Once your application is submitted, you will be contacted to confirm your request for a 1-2 hour in-house peer model screening, which will take place at Onaway Elementary School. This will provide the preschool team the opportunity to observe specific developmental skills that are essential to our program.

All information provided in the application is confidential and will only be used to help the preschool team get to know you and your child prior to the screening.

Please note, this is a request to be screened, not a guarantee of enrollment.

After the screening three possible outcomes can occur:

• Accepted into preschool for the 2024-2025 school year
• Waitlist when/if a space is available
• Referral for further evaluation

The Shaker Heights Early Childhood Program also provides options for students with disabilities: 

• If you suspect that your child may be eligible for preschool special education services, contact the Preschool Psychologist at 216-295-4913.
• If your child has an existing IEP, please contact Special Education Supervisor Erin Dzolic at 216-295-6186.