The NC Pre-Kindergarten Program provides tuition-free, high-quality educational experiences for eligible four year-olds to better prepare them for kindergarten. Children served by NC Pre-K attend a full school day (6-1/2 hours) for a 10 month school year in a center that follows the Yancey County Schools' calendar.

The NC Pre-K Program is built upon the belief that to be successful academically in school, children need to be prepared in all five of the developmental domains critical to children's overall well-being and success in reading and math. These five domains are:

• Approaches to play and learning

• Emotional & social development 

• Health & physical development 

• Language development & communication

• Cognitive Development

Blue Ridge Elementary Pre-K

• 910 Cane River School Road

• Burnsville, NC 28714

Burnsville Elementary Pre-K

• 395 Burnsville School Road

• Burnsville, NC  28714

Mountain Heritage Pre-K

• 333 Mountain Heritage High School Road

• Burnsville, NC  28714

How to Apply for the NC Pre-K Program

Parents or Guardians need to provide the following information

• Completed and signed NC Pre-K Program Application, available on this webpage.

• Child's birth certificate

• Child's immunization record

• Child's health assessment form completed by a doctor with required dental, vision and hearing screenings completed

• Parent income verification (Examples: W-2 form, one month's pay stub, tax forms) or signed No Income Statement

• If applicable:  proof of military status, IEP information or diagnosis of developmental delay or chronic health condition

To Qualify for the NC Pre-K Program, children must:

Turn four years of age by August 31 and be entering kindergarten the following school year

Have one or more of the following:

• Low family income

• Identified disability

• Limited English proficiency

• Physician diagnosed chronic health condition

• Identified developmental delay 

• Educational need identified by an Individualized Education Plan

• A parent in military service or who is a disabled veteran

You may deliver your child's application and documentation to the Yancey County Schools' Central Office or mail it to:

• Yancey County Schools

• Attn:  NC Pre-K Program

• PO Box 190

• Burnsville, NC 28714

For more information, contact:

• Becky Tschudy, NC Pre-K Program

• Phone: (828) 682-6101

• Email Becky Tschudy

Interested in being an NC Pre-K provider in Yancey County?

• NC PreK Site Application

• Site Application FAQ

If you are the director of a childcare center that is interested in becoming an NC Pre-K approved site, please email Becky Tschudy at Email Becky Tschudy to request an NC Pre-K Site Application and information regarding the Site Selection Process.  New centers requesting approval must meet NC Pre-K Guidelines and undergo a Site Selection visit at which time NC Pre-K Site Selection Committee members will complete a rubric to be used when evaluating sites for approval.

 Approval as a site does not guarantee that slots will be awarded, only that a site is eligible to serve as a placement option for NC Pre-K children. NC Pre-K approved classrooms must maintain a four or five-star rated license, earn a score of 5 or higher on the ECERS-R Rating Scale and meet teacher and administrator licensing requirements in addition to meeting the NC Pre-K program requirements.

Feb. 7, 2024

• 3:00 pm

• Virtual  

• Meeting link: Join with Google Meet

August 14, 2024

• 3:00 pm

• Yancey County Schools Central Office