What Makes a Kindergarten Lottery Registration Complete?

We hope that the following guidance will be helpful to families registering for Cambridge Public Schools’ January Kindergarten Lottery.

The registration process begins at home, where you will need to gather a number of required documents. Some families will also choose to fill out their registration forms at home or by using the online pre-registration system.

If you begin your registration through the pre-registration system, you can sign all of your forms and upload your child’s birth certificate or passport, as well as your proof of address and proof of occupancy documents (listed on the front page of the registration form and requested by the pre-registration system).

You may also scan or photograph all forms and documents and e-mail them to us at [email protected]. In-person registrations at the Student Registration Center are welcome. Please call us at 617.349.6551 or e-mail us at [email protected] and we will help you determine which is the best way for your family to register.

A staff member will process your registration and inform you of any additional steps that may be necessary for completion of the registration by the deadline of 4PM on January 31, 2024, the last day of the Junior Kindergarten/Kindergarten Lottery. 

If a language test is required to determine eligibility for program language bonus points in the Preschool/K Lottery for Amigos, the Chinese Immersion Program and the Ola Program, families must schedule the language test in order to ensure that it is completed by 4PM on January 31, 2024.
How to Register
  1. Fill out all forms (online or paper).
  2. Gather all required documents (upload, scan, or photograph them and then e-mail them to the SRC).
  3. If you think you need to register in person, please call 617.349.7551 or e-mail [email protected] and staff will help you determine the best way for you to register and if an appointment is necessary.
  4. SRC staff will confirm whether or not your registration is complete.
  5. Schedule a language test (if applicable).
  6. All registration forms and documents must be submitted and language testing must be scheduled and completed by 4PM on January 31.
  7. APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.


Health Requirements & Immunization Record

Students must have completed all required immunizations to start school. The SRC collects immunization records and health forms for all entering students and provides them to the School Nursing program of Cambridge Public Health. A family is eligible to participate in the Lottery even if their child requires additional immunizations for school entry. In this instance, they must follow up with documentation of completed immunizations prior to the start of school.  


Immersion Program Applicants:
Amigos, the Chinese Immersion Program, and the Ola Program

For families seeking program language bonus points for their child for an immersion program during the Preschool/K Lottery, we strongly recommend that you complete your registration as early in the month as possible to ensure you can find an appointment time that will be convenient for your family. Families must schedule the language testing and ensure that it is completed by 4PM on January 31 in order to determine if your child qualifies for program language bonus points.

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