Early Childhood Preschool Programs
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- Deer Valley Unified School District
- Early Childhood FAQ
Welcome to the DVUSD Early Childhood FAQ Page
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Where is your office located?
We are located at Sunrise Elementary School. The address is 17624 N 31st Ave, Phoenix AZ 85308. Look for the Early Childhood Sign when entering the parking lot of 31st Ave.
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What are your office hours?
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM -4:00 PM. We follow the school calendar for breaks and recesses. Please note during the summer we are closed on Fridays.
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What is your contact information?
Main Phone: 602-467-6013
Office Fax: 602-467-6019
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I am not sure if I live within DVUSD boundaries. Where can I find that out?
View the DVUSD Boundary Maps.
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What age group is considered preschool?
The state of Arizona defines preschool age as a child “who is at least three years of age but who has not reached the required age for kindergarten” (five by September 1st) according to Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 15-761(22).
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Do preschool children have to wait until August to start in program?
Due to children not being able to start in program until they reach at least 3 years old, we have children who start in the program all year long. Once you have been approved you will receive information about registering with the district and the school you have been approved to attend.
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Does your office have any social media accounts?
Twitter: DVUSD_EC
Friend us on Facebook: DVUSD Early Childhood
Developmental Preschool, Child Find Screenings & Full Day Preschool Programs
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What is Developmental Preschool?
Developmental Preschool provides inclusive preschool classrooms with support and services for both age-appropriate children, as well as, those children who have been identified as having special education needs. Each of our developmental preschool classrooms is taught by a certified early childhood teacher, who is also certified in special education. They have 2 assistants or paraprofessionals in the room with them along with the therapist that comes to work with the special needs children. Each developmental preschool classroom can have a maximum of 15 students per session, this is a mix of special needs and peer role models. The developmental preschool sessions are 2.5 hours a day, Monday-Thursday. We do not hold developmental preschool on Fridays. The hours vary depending on the campus.
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How many students are in the developmental preschool class?
In each of our developmental preschool classrooms, we have a maximum of 15 students per session, with each teacher having a morning and afternoon session. These 15 students in a mixture of both special needs and age-appropriate peer role models.
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Where can find out what developmental milestones my child should be reaching?
A great place to review milestones by age is the CDC website. Click this link to review milestones by age on the CDC website. You can also speak to your child’s pediatrician if you have questions or concerns regarding developmental milestones.
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Do I find out the results of the screening on the same day?
Yes. After your child has been screened in all areas, one of the screening team members will discuss the results of the screening with you. They may tell you that your child is age-appropriate in all areas or that your child is being referred for an evaluation for consideration of possible special education services. Additionally, they may advise that your child be rescreened in a few months.
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What are the hours of developmental preschool?
All of our developmental preschool programs are 2.5 hours a day, Monday through Thursday. There is no class on Friday. The developmental preschools start and end times vary depending on the campus. Each of our developmental preschools is on school campuses, so the start and end times are determined by the start and end times of the campus. Most of our preschool classes start 15- 30 minutes after the main bell. The afternoon sessions then get out either 15 minutes before or at the same time as the main bell.
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Who will complete my child's evaluation?
If your child is referred for an evaluation following a child find screening or from Arizona Early Intervention (AzEIP) referral, your home school, or the school within the boundaries you live in, will complete the evaluation. The Early Childhood Office will notify your home school about the referral for an evaluation. The home school will contact you within 2-3 weeks to discuss your child and schedule the evaluation. Please note this 2-3 week time frame does not account for school recess like Winter Break.
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What happens at a child find screening?
Screening procedures shall include vision and hearing status and consideration of the following areas: cognitive, communication, motor, social, and adaptive development.
Your child will be meeting with early childhood teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, and paraprofessionals while being screened. This process can take anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes, depending on the needs of the child.
We ask that parents wait in the waiting area while we screen all the different developmental areas. We understand that sometimes children will not separate from their parents. Should this occur, please feel free to start with your child but return to the waiting area once they become comfortable with the staff.
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How long does it take to find out if they qualify for special education services?
The process of getting your child special education services can take some time, and every child's timeline may look a little different depending on their needs.
The home school campus will contact you 2-3 weeks after the child find screening or AzEIP referral. Your home school team will schedule the Comprehensive Developmental Assessment (CDA) with you. After that in-person CDA (evaluation), they have 60 days to hold the next meeting called a MET, where they will review the results of the evaluation with you. At this meeting, you will learn if your child qualifies for special education services.
If your child qualifies for special education services, the service school team has 30 days from the date you sign the initial placement statement to hold the IEP meeting. The service school team will review the goals your child will be working towards, and discuss how many minutes a month each service provider will be working towards those goals.
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How do I schedule my child to attend a child find screening?
Reach out to our early childhood clerk Carla. She can be reached via phone at 602-467-6018, via email Carla.Wandelt@dvusd.org, or by filling out the Screening Interest Form.
Please note you can only attend a child find screening if you reside with DVUSD. If you reside within another district, you must be screened with that district.
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How do I find out if my child needs special education?
The first step to see if a preschool-aged child is eligible for special education services is to attend a Child Find Screening. We can only screen children of families who reside within DVUSD boundaries. Your child must be at least 2 years 10 months to be screened and has not yet reached the required age for kindergarten, 5, by September 1st.
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Can I pay for the full-day program if my family is over the income guidelines?
The full-day programs currently overseen by our office include Head Start, Early Childhood Education Expansion, and High-Quality Early Learning. These are programs funded through various sources including federal resources and state grants. At this time, we do not have the authorization to allow a family to pay for a space in one of these full-day programs. Please watch this webpage and our social media for any updates or changes regarding this policy.
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What is a developmental concern?
Developmental concerns include delays or abnormal patterns of development in the areas of communication/language, motor skills, problem-solving, or social and adaptive behavior. These concerns are usually based on comparison to other children the same age.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has very informative information on their website regarding milestones by age. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
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Do any other departments in the district offer preschool?
Beyond the preschool program that our office oversees there is another department in DVUSD called Community Education that oversees preschool programs as well as the before and after school programs. You can learn more about their programs by visiting their webpage: https://www.dvusd.org/Page/219
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Do you offer open enrollment for a preschooler?
If your child is on an IEP and you would prefer to attend a school other than the service school our office has assigned your child to, you may apply for open enrollment. If approved for open enrollment, bus transportation is not available. A peer can attend any school that has a space for a peer. If applying for a full-day program, you are welcome to state your preferred campus, but it will depend on availability.
If you reside outside DVUSD and your child has an IEP you are welcome to apply for open enrollment. Open enrollment is all based on availability. To apply for open enrollment, please contact our office via phone at 602-467-6013, or via email at earlychildhood@dvusd.org to obtain a preschool open enrollment form.
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Can my child ride the bus as a preschooler?
If your child qualifies for special education and is placed in a developmental preschool classroom then we can add transportation as a related service. The bus can pick up children only from homes, apartments, or daycares inside the district boundaries. If your child qualifies for special education services transportation will be discussed at the IEP meeting.
Children who are preschool peer role models, or those enrolled in one of our full-day programs do not have the option to ride a bus at this time.
Other questions about Early Childhood Preschool programs
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Do you offer open enrollment for a preschooler?
If your child is on an IEP and you would prefer to attend a school other than the service school our office has assigned your child to, you may apply for open enrollment. If approved for open enrollment, bus transportation is not available. A peer can attend any school that has a space for a peer. If applying for a full-day program, you are welcome to state your preferred campus, but it will depend on availability.
If you reside outside DVUSD and your child has an IEP you are welcome to apply for open enrollment. Open enrollment is all based on availability. To apply for open enrollment, please contact our office via phone at 602-467-6013, or via email at earlychildhood@dvusd.org to obtain a preschool open enrollment form.
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Can my child ride the bus as a preschooler?
If your child qualifies for special education and is placed in a developmental preschool classroom then we can add transportation as a related service. The bus can pick up children only from homes, apartments, or daycares inside the district boundaries. If your child qualifies for special education services transportation will be discussed at the IEP meeting.
Children who are preschool peer role models, or those enrolled in one of our full-day programs do not have the option to ride a bus at this time.
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What is the difference between Community Education preschool and Early Childhood programs?
Of course, both departments want the best for your child, and to see them succeed. Both programs are licensed and regulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services. All of the programs follow a curriculum that is age appropriate that aligns with the Arizona Department of Education standards.
Our developmental preschool teachers are licensed in both early childhood education and special education. Our classrooms have at least 1 assistant in the classroom, with our developmental preschool classrooms having 2 assistants. Our developmental preschool, Head Start, and full-day grant programs are free to those who qualify. Preschool peer role models do pay tuition but the tuition is much lower than the community education preschool programs.
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Do any other departments in the district offer preschool?
Yes. Beyond the preschool program that our office oversees, there is another department in DVUSD called Community Education that oversees preschool programs as well as the before and after-school programs. You can find out more about their programs by visiting their webpage: https://www.dvusd.org/Page/219
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Can I pay for the full-day program if my family is over the income guidelines?
The full-day programs currently overseen by our office include Head Start, Early Childhood Education Expansion, and High Quality Early Learning. These are programs funded through various sources including federal resources and state grants. At this time, we do not have the authorization to allow a family to pay for a space in one of these full-day programs. Please watch this webpage and our social media for any updates or changes regarding this policy.