Early Learning

Full Day Kindergarten 

Thanks to supportive voters, Bellingham Public Schools got a jump-start on early learning to become a state leader in providing full-time kindergarten for all students since fall 2011. 

Kindergarten Registration 

Bellingham Public Schools Kindergarten registration opens in March (although registrations are accepted all year) alongside other Whatcom County districts. Children must be 5 before Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten. View the registration webpage for information. 

Ideas for you and your child to explore: 

• Play board games with your child to practice taking turns. 
• Visit the local library. 
• Set up several play dates this summer. 
• Visit your child’s school playground and practice playing on the equipment and following rules such as ‘slides are for going down.’ 
• Have your child practice following one-step and two-step directions. This could easily be done by making lunch together, or having them pick up their toys. 
• Read to your child for a combined total of at least 20 minutes a day. 
• Draw together, allowing your child time to practice using different tools (crayons, markers, pencils, side walk chalk). 
• Have your child practice writing their name multiple ways (with playdough, using a stick in the dirt/sand, in shaving cream, using side walk chalk, or on paper for example). 
• Have your child practice sorting objects around the house, this is especially fun while doing chores together (sort clothes, silverware, their toys). 
• While driving in the car or shopping in a grocery store, notice letters, numbers, colors on signs, or in the objects around them. 
• Practice counting to 20 while taking a walk or driving in the car. 
• Count objects together. Count everything in and out of the home. While collecting rocks is especially fun! 
• Engage in pretend play together. For example, use a plain cardboard box to go on an adventure to the moon! 
• Visit local parks and beaches and take time to notice the amazing wonders nature has to offer. 
• Provide plenty of opportunities to allow your child to engage in free play both inside and outside the house on a daily basis. 

Promise K is a transitional kindergarten program for 4-year-olds who do not have access to early learning experiences. Promise K is a full day program that follows the elementary school year calendar.  

The Promise K learning environment aligns with our district early childhood curriculum: play-based learning focused on social-emotional learning and student directed exploration. All Promise K students have access to outside  space for movement and play. 

Children may enter Promise K based on ability and/or need, such as, social emotional or developmental needs.  

Promise K is a key component of our commitment to Early Childhood Education in The Bellingham Promise. 

Promise K is one of many early learning programs in our community. For more information about community programs, please visit our early learning community partners web page or contact Kerry Allen.   

Eligibility for Promise K 

Eligibility includes:  

• The child must be 4 years old by August 31, 2025 and not yet 5 years old. (5-year-olds can register for traditional kindergarten, and this registration will open in March 2025.)  
• The child resides within the attendance boundaries of Bellingham Public Schools.  
• The child is not currently enrolled in an early learning program, such as: licensed childcare, preschool, co-op preschool, ECEAP, Head Start, etc. (full or part-time) 
• The child demonstrates learning and/or social- emotional needs through a screening process 
• Priority will be given to children most in need who have had little or no access to an early learning experience. 

Program dates and times:  

Promise K is a full school year program, and the first full day will be September 4, 2025. Family conferences will be scheduled prior to your child’s first day of Promise K. Promise K students attend the same daily schedule as our elementary schools and follow the school district calendar for school days, early dismissals and holidays. Promise K does not continue during the summer.   

Inquire here:  

If you believe your child may be eligible and you are interested in enrolling them into our Promise K program, please fill out the online interest form. We also invite you to share this information with friends and neighbors who may also have a child within Bellingham Public Schools boundaries who qualifies for Promise K.  

If you have any questions, please contact Kerry Allen in the Department of Teaching and Learning or call 360-676-6470, ext. 2783. 

Promise K Interest Form

Developmental Preschool

Early childhood preschool programs provide a language-based classroom to students ages 3-4 who have been identified with developmental delays and qualify for special education services. Programs provide direct, integrated, and/or consultative services to students with mild to moderate disabilities in general education.  The Bellingham School District participates in“Child Find” activities. If you are interested in participating in a Preschool Special Education Screening  for the purpose of locating, identifying and evaluating your child’s  potential disabilities and  possible need of special education services click the link below. 

Preschool programs are based in the following locations: 

• Alderwood Elementary 
• Cordata Elementary 
• Happy Valley Elementary 
• Sunnyland Elementary 
• Silver Beach 

Request a Preschool Special Education Screening

For more information contact Belinda Schacht at 360-676-6470 ext. 4408 or Belinda.Schacht@bellinghamschools.org 

We host a variety of preschool programs in our schools and at our Early Learning Center in the District office.

All preschool programs encourage curiosity, exploration and a love of learning taught by certified teachers; foundational skills in social emotional learning, literacy, and math ensure children are prepared to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

All preschool programs require an application and families to meet certain eligibility requirements, which vary depending on the program. Please fill out the preschool interest form linked below and our early childhood staff will be in contact.

Preschool Interest Form

What is Child Find? 

Child Find is a district process to identify children birth-21 suspected of having a delay or disability to evaluate and identify the need for Special Education and Related Services. Early identification of disabilities assists parents, students, and schools in the design of appropriate educational services and supports. 

What is Child Find Screening? 

Screening is a free check of your child’s development that will include: 

• Large muscle development (gross motor skills) 
• Eye-hand coordination (fine motor skills) 
• Communication skills 
• Concepts (cognitive skills) 
• Social/emotional skills 
• Self-help skills 

What is the purpose of a Child Find Screening? 

The purpose of the screening is to identify any factors that may interfere with your child’s learning, growth, and development. The screening is also provided to help parents identify their child’s strengths and weaknesses and provide home suggestions and/or further evaluation if needed in any area of concern. 

What happens during a Child Find Screening? 

During the screening your child may stack small blocks, cut with scissors, draw, count, name colors, jump and will have fun! Following the screening, a trained professional will talk with you about the results of the screening. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions about your child’s development. You may be given home suggestions, referred to an evaluation team for further testing, or be scheduled to have skills re-screened at a later date. The screening process usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour. 

Who is eligible to be screened before kindergarten? 

Any child, ages 3-5 years old, who lives in Bellingham School District. All school districts within Washington state have Child Find screenings available. If your family is living in a temporary situation, you may contact the district where you are staying to attend a screening. 

If your child is younger than the age of three, early support is provided by the Opportunity Council or Whatcom Center for Early Learning. Parents can call the Single-Entry-Access-to-Services (SEAS) line for more information at (360) 715-7485. (https://www.seaswhatcom.org/). 

For more information and to schedule a screening, please fill out the form below or contact: Special Education at 360-676-6470, ext. 4408, or email BPS.Preschool@BellinghamSchools.org 

Request a Preschool Special Education Screening

School entrance for children older than 5

Guidance from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recommends that school districts use a student’s age as the primary determinant of the grade in which they will enter school. Children who are older than 5 before Sept. 1 and are entering school for the first time will generally be placed with their age cohort. For example, a student who is 6 will generally enter school in first grade, even if they have not attended kindergarten. This placement aligns with research and best practices for children’s social and emotional development, both in early elementary school and throughout their school career. Additional information about individual children may be considered in partnership with school leadership, early childhood personnel and the child’s family. Please contact your school’s principal if you have questions about your child’s placement.

If your child’s fifth birthday falls after August 31 and you are interested in having your child evaluated for early entrance to kindergarten to attend school in the fall, please view our early entrance procedure.  When applying for early entrance, please complete the Parent Questionnaire (Spanish) and have your child’s current preschool or childcare teacher complete this form, Teacher Questionnaire. Return both questionnaires and the early entrance application to the District Office. Applications are due by May 1. Assessments and evaluations for early entrance occur in May.

GRADS (Graduation, Reality And Dual-role Skills) is a program for pregnant and parenting students that provides the academic and childcare support necessary to stay in high school and graduate. GRADS is available at no cost to pregnant teens and young parents under the age of twenty-one who live in Bellingham or Whatcom County and have not graduated from high school. The program is located at Sehome, Options and Squalicum high schools. Students attend regular high school courses as well as receive instruction in units of study related to: pregnancy, parenting, positive self-image and economic independence.

Bellingham Public Schools and our Bellingham early learning partners have developed a list of early learning opportunities in our community. 

This list includes the following information for each program: contact information , description/days and hours of operation , enrollment information and eligibility requirements. 

List of early learning community providers

WaKIDS is a transition process that helps to ensure a successful start to the K-12 experience and connect the key adults in a child’s life. Please visit the WaKIDS website for more information.

Three components of WaKIDS:

1. Family connection welcomes families into the Washington K-12 system as partners in their child’s education.
2. Whole-child assessment gives kindergarten teachers information about the social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy and mathematics development of the children in their classrooms, so they may tailor their instruction to the individual needs of each child.
3. Early learning collaboration aligns practices of early learning professionals and kindergarten teachers to support smooth transitions for children.

P-3 is a comprehensive reform strategy, focused on ensuring that all children develop the cognitive and social skills that establish strong foundations for future learning. Please visit Northwest Educational Service District 189 for more information.