Registration

We are thrilled that eligible children can attend our Jefferson preschool program at no cost to the family thanks to the Preschool for All grant. Children and families must participate in a developmental screening before enrollment to determine the Preschool for All eligibility. 

For families registering a child NEW TO JEFFERSON

• Registration for new students will not be approved until you and your child participate in a preschool screening. This is a requirement of the Preschool for All program.
  • Please complete this Jefferson Early Childhood Center Preschool Screening Questionnaire. After completing the questionnaire, you will receive a call to schedule a screening. 
  • Following the screening, you will receive additional information about enrollment. 

Families that were notified by Principal Barkley to register must complete registration by February 27, 2026.

Dear District 64 Families, 

I hope you and your family enjoyed a relaxing winter break and a wonderful start to the new year! As we continue to support student learning and growth across District 64, it is also time to begin planning ahead for the next school year. This letter provides an overview of the student registration process for the 2026–2027 school year and outlines important information for all families.

Enrollment opens for all District 64 students on Tuesday, January 20. We will once again offer an early-bird discount on registration fees. To get the discount, you must:

1. Complete and submit registration forms by 3:00 pm on Monday, March 9.
2. Pay the fees by noon on Friday, March 13.

Note: Families who do not register by the March 13 deadline will receive a records release, as we will assume they are moving to another district.

Please submit your registration forms by March 9 to allow our staff time to verify your documents. Unlike in previous years, invoices will not be sent automatically. Instead, once our office staff has verified your documents, you will receive your invoice. To receive the early-bird discount, please pay this invoice by Friday, March 13.

Registration and student participation fees will remain the same for the 2026-2027 school year. We are excited to announce that beginning in the 26-27 school year, we will no longer charge tuition for the full-day kindergarten program. The full list of student fees is available on our website. 

Information regarding registration for Jefferson Early Childhood Center students has already been sent to families. Those who were notified by Principal Barkley to register must complete enrollment by February 27. Families who do not complete the Jefferson registration by February 27, 2026, will forfeit their preschool placement, and their child will be moved to the bottom of the waitlist.

Please complete your child's registration as soon as possible. This helps our team as we prepare for the upcoming school year! Your timely registration provides us with essential information needed to finalize staffing across the district, plan classroom layouts thoughtfully, coordinate bus routes, and ensure that all necessary resources are ready to welcome and support your child. 

Where can you find registration information? On Tuesday, January 20, we will post all the links and directions for the 2026-2027 registration process at the top of our D64 registration page. 
 
How do you make sure you receive the early bird discount? You must have the registration forms filled out and submitted by Monday, March 9, at 3:00 pm. This allows our staff time to verify documents and send out invoices so you can pay them by noon on Friday, March 13. 
 
What happens after March 13? If you miss the deadline and receive a records release form but want your child to attend school in District 64, you need to complete a few items to enroll:

• Prove residency, even if you were previously cleared.
• Provide a birth certificate of the child registering.

Thank you for your continued partnership! 

Sincerely,

Dr. Ben Collins
Superintendent

Below are the instructions on how to enroll your child:

Step 1

• For students who are ALREADY AT SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT 64, SKIP TO STEP 3. Parents and guardians of students NEW to District 64 should complete the online registration form for the 2025-2026 school year at this link, opening “Enrollment Express.” Here, you will fill out basic information about yourself and the student.
  • For information related to school boundaries, please consult the online map of school attendance zones. 

Step 2

• You will get a link to the parent portal once your pre-registration has been verified after submitting. You will receive an email link to the Parent Portal and the necessary information to create your account and link it to your student. 

Step 3 - Start Here If You Are A Current D64 Student

• Log into your parent portal account and click "FORMS" on the left hand side. Then click enrollment. Complete the Registration 2025-2026 forms.  You may be asked to upload necessary documents, among them being proof of your residency within District 64. Acceptable documents are listed in the form or see a list of acceptable residency documents here.

Step 4

• Your registration is not considered final until it has been reviewed by District 64 staff. You will receive a separate email confirmation once your registration has been approved. If anything is incomplete, someone from the District will contact you with further information. If you have any questions or need further assistance with enrollment, please contact your school office. 
  • During the summer, when school is not in session, call these numbers regarding enrollment questions:
    • Preschool and elementary school questions during the summer can be directed to the District office at 847-318-4300.
    • Middle school questions during the summer can be directed to the Emerson and Lincoln offices.
      • Emerson - 847-318-8110
      • Lincoln - 847-318-4215

Fees/Payments

• The registration deadline will be noon on Friday, March 14, and if you register your child and pay the fees by then, you will receive the early bird discount. You must fill out and submit registration forms by Monday, March 10, at 3:00 pm to take advantage of the fee discount. This allows our staff time to verify documents and send out invoices so you can pay them by noon on Friday, March 14. Any families who do not register by this date will receive a records release, as we assume you’re going to another district. 
  • For the 17th consecutive year, academic registration fees will remain unchanged for families who register and pay by the deadline. However, the early bird discount does not apply to participation, bus, or tuition fees. Our website has the fee list and explanations for any fee increases, such as for Instrumental Music and Chromebook maintenance. 
• In order that no student is denied educational services due to the inability of parents or guardians to pay, the District waives fees for students who meet certain eligibility criteria. Basically, a student is eligible if the family's income is below the levels established by the Federal government.
  • The application for a student fee waiver can be found here - Please submit the student fee waiver and any supporting documents to Julie Wasilewski at jwasilewski@d64.org.
  • The free lunch application can be found here - Please submit the free lunch application to Kevin Shoemaker at kshoemaker@d64.org.

Age Appropriate Placement

It is District 64’s practice to place students age-appropriately at each grade level upon enrollment. If you have a preschooler at home, please keep the following in mind regarding enrollment in District 64 for the 2025-2026 school year:

• Students who will turn six before June 1, 2025, will be placed age-appropriately in first grade upon registration, regardless of prior enrollment in kindergarten.
• Students who turn six after June 1, 2025, through August 31, 2025, and are not currently enrolled in District 64 may elect to enter kindergarten or first grade for the 2025-26 school year.

The District has adopted a policy for accelerated placement and early entrance procedures. In these cases, a student may be placed at a higher grade level. More information about this may be found on the District 64 website. 

These forms are to be used when further documentation must be provided as requested by District 64:

• Parent/Guardian Affidavit
• Resident Affidavit

Transfer students - please use this records request form to send to your prior school.

Please click here for the Home Language Survey in English that all new students registering for District 64 are required by state law to complete. Please visit the English Learner Department page to learn more.

If you need the Home Language Survey in a different language, please see below or contact your school office. 

• Polish
• Italian
• Spanish
• Greek
• Ukranian
• Russian

Students experiencing homelessness or a temporary living situation should consult this letter for more information. See also this referral information from AHAND (Association of Homeless Advocates in the North/Northwest District).

Click here for directions on how to unenroll a student from D64.