Early Education

The Cabarrus County Partnership for Children offers a universal application that allows parents to apply for their child(ren) to attend any of Cabarrus County’s free, high-quality preschool programs during the academic school year. All information is entered into a single database to determine eligibility.

The Cabarrus County NC Pre-K program is designed to provide high-quality educational experiences to enhance school readiness for eligible four-year-old children in Cabarrus County . The NC Pre-K Program Requirements are built on the National Education Goals Panel’s premise that to be successful academically in school, children need to be prepared in all five of the developmental domains that are critical to children’s overall well-being and success in reading and math as they enter school:

• Approaches to play and learning
• Emotional and social development
• Health and Physical Development
• Language development and communication
• Cognitive development

Lead Teachers in NCPK classrooms have Birth-Kindergarten teaching license.

The NC Pre-K Program Requirements are designed to ensure that a high-quality pre-kindergarten classroom experience is provided for eligible four-year-old children in each local NC Pre-K Program and that, to the extent possible, uniformity exists across the state. Programs are also required to meet the NC Child Care Rules. NC’s Pre-K program meets a number of nationally accepted benchmarks for measuring quality early learning. These include comprehensive Early Learning Standards; staff who are required to meet education/licensure requirements, professional development; 1:10 staff/child ratio; developmental screens and referral; evidence-based curriculum and formative assessments; monitoring and nutritional requirements. The Cabarrus Partnership for Children is the contracting agency that operates the NC Pre-K Program in Cabarrus County.

To be eligible, a child must be 4 years old on or before August 31, 2025. The NC Pre-Kindergarten Program is an income-based service. Eligibility is determined by verifying family size and gross income. Children may also be eligible if they are:

• Children of military families.
• Children with an identified disability or developmental/educational need.
• Children/families with limited English skills.
• Children/families experiencing homelessness.
• Family is receiving public assistance.

To meet maximum income requirement, all parents and or guardians living in the home combined income must not exceed 75% of the North Carolina Poverty Guidelines.

You can only submit an application in one county. Multiple county applications cannot be processed.

Completed applications and required documents can be submitted in the following ways:

• Online at: www.cabarruspartnership.org
• Via email
• Fax to 704-934-0029
•  In person at: The Cabarrus Partnership for Children- 1307 S Cannon Blvd. Kannapolis NC 28083 or McKnight Child Development Center- Drop Box: 1300 Glen Ave. Kannapolis, NC 28081 or email to McKnight Child Development Center 

Please note: Eligibility does not guarantee placement in the program. NC Pre-K is a state and federally funded program. Cabarrus County has a limited number of slots in various locations throughout the county. Once all slots are filled, children will be placed on a waitlist.

For more information call: 704-933-8278 or email us here.