Last verified: October 2026
Who qualifies for free Voluntary Pre-K in Nashville?
A child qualifies for Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) if he or she turns four on or before August 15 and is considered at risk, which the state defines first by household income at the free-or-reduced-price lunch level. Districts may not enroll over-income children until after the 30th full day of school.
Other priority groups in the state's scope of services include children with an IEP, children in state custody and English learners. Each district runs its own enrollment.
How do families apply for Metro Nashville Public Schools pre-K?
MNPS takes pre-K applications online or at its Family Information Center at 2601 Bransford Avenue. The 2027-28 application opens March 1, 2027.
Families need a birth record, proof of Davidson County residency, a parent photo ID, a Tennessee immunization certificate, a physical dated within the past year and income documentation. Some MNPS classrooms accept three-year-olds, and the district publishes separate pre-K program fees for seats that are not free.
Does VPK work with private or church preschools in Middle Tennessee?
VPK can, because districts are allowed to run classrooms through collaborative agreements with community-based child care providers, both nonprofit and for-profit, as long as the teacher is licensed and paid comparably to district staff. Whether a particular church preschool hosts a VPK room depends on its contract with the local district.
Williamson, Rutherford, Sumner and Wilson families apply through their own county or city district rather than MNPS.
| What Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K is | What it isn't |
|---|---|
| State-funded pre-K for four-year-olds | Not a voucher a family can take to any private preschool |
| Prioritized by household income and other risk factors | Not guaranteed for over-income children |
| Run by each school district, sometimes in community partner classrooms | Not part of EFS, which starts at kindergarten |
| At least 5.5 hours of instruction a day | Not the same as TDHS child care assistance |