Four-Year Old Program Approval

A school or district that wants to run a Four-Year-Old Program must apply to the department for approval. Approval is given for two years. The law requires the following:

•  A teacher must be licensed by the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) who have one of the following qualifications:
  • Major or minor in Early Childhood Education: Birth - Grade 3
  • Elementary Education: Grade 1 - Grade 8 with a Kindergarten Endorsement
  • Elementary Education License that is no longer issued but appears as Kindergarten - Grade 8 in North Dakota
  • Endorsement: Test completed for Early Childhood Education Birth - Grade 3
• Follow all program rules set by the department.
• Meet all local and state health, fire, and safety standards.
• Families can enroll children if they are four years old before August 1 of that school year. A child who turns four before December 1 may also enroll if the family makes a request and the school decides the child is ready, based on development, learning skills, and other individual needs.
• Pay a nonrefundable $50 application fee. This fee helps cover the cost of reviewing the application.

State Funding

Students in a regular Four-Year-Old Program are not counted for state aid payments by the superintendent of public instruction.

Program Review

The Department of Health and Human Services may visit and review the program. This includes checking the building, program conditions, and staff qualifications.

Loss of Approval

Approval may be taken away if:

• The program no longer meets the required conditions.
• The program does not follow minimum standards.
• The approval was based on false information.
• The program breaks department rules.

For more in-depth information review the Four-Year-Old Program Century Code. 

The following items are needed to apply to be an approved Four-Year-Old Program:

•  Complete and sign the SFN 1304 Four-Year Old Program Approval form
  • A qualified teacher
• A copy of the school board minutes documenting school board approval of the Four-Year-Old Program
• A copy of the most recent Fire Marshal's safety report
• Non-refundable fee of $50.00

Items must be mailed to:

Early Childhood
Department of Health and Human Services
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 325
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250

Once the Four-Year-Old Program Approval form and documentation are reviewed and approved, the school may request a pre-kindergarten grade level configuration through North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI). 

The following items must be updated with your pre-kindergarten information: Licensed Personnel forms (MIS03), State Automated Reporting System (STARS), and North Dakota Teacher Education System (NDTEACH).

2026-2028 Approvals (Expires 6/30/2028)

• Carrington Public School
• Cavalier Public School
• Central Cass Public School - Casselton
• Edgeley Public School
• Ellendale Public School
• Griggs County Central School District - Cooperstown
• Killdeer Public School
• Manvel Public School
• Mapleton Public School
• Northern Cass Public School - Hunter
• Theodore Elementary School - United Tribes Technical College - Bismarck

2025-2027 Approvals (Expires 6/30/2027)

• Capstone Classical Academy - Fargo
• Center-Stanton Public School
• Fargo Public School - Jefferson Elementary
• Fessenden-Bowdon School District
• Hazen Public School - Community of Friends
• Hillcrest Christian School - Jamestown
• Hope- Page Public School
• Kindred Public School
• Kulm Public School
• Lakota Public School
• Larimore Public School
• Maple Valley Public School - Tower City
• Minnewaukan Public School
• Parshall Public School
• The Innovation School - Bismarck
• Valley City Public School
• Williston Basic SD #7 Preschool

2024-2026 Approvals (Expires 6/30/2026)

• Alexander Public School
• Ashley Public School
• Barnes County North - Wimbledon
• Beach Public School
• BECEP Bismarck Schools
• Belfield Public School
• Bishop Ryan Catholic School - Minot
• Bowman County School    
• Cathedral - Bismarck
• Church of Christ the King - Mandan
• Dakota Prairie Public School - Petersburg
• Drayton Public School
• Dunseith Public School
• Elgin-New Leipzig Public School - Elgin
• Emerado Public School
• Fargo Public Schools
• Finley-Sharon Public School - Finley
• Gackle-Streeter Public School
• Garrison Public School
• Glen Ullin Public School
• Glenburn Public School
• Golva Public School
• Grafton Public School
• Grenora Public School
• Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock Public School
• Hettinger Public School
• Holy Spirit Elementary School - Fargo
• Hoople-Valley-Edinburg Public School - Hoople
• Kenmare Public School
• Kensal Public Schools
• Kidder County Public School
• LaMoure Public School
• Leeds Public School
• Lewis and Clark - Berthold
• Lewis and Clark North Shore Plaza - Plaza
• Litchville-Marion Public School - Marion
• Maddock Public School
• Martin Luther School - Bismarck
• Max Public School
• Medina Public School
• Midway Public School
• Minto Public School
• Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood School - Mohall
• Montpelier Public School
• Mt. Pleasant Public School - Rolla
• Munich Public School
• Nativity Elem. School-Fargo
• Nedrose Public School
• New England Public School
• New Rockford Public School
• Newburg United Public School
• North Border School - Pembina
• North Border School - Walhalla
• North Sargent Public School - Gwinner
• North Star Public School - Cando
• Park River Area Public School
• Pingree - Buchanan Public School - Buchanan
• Powers Lake Public School
• Richardton-Taylor Public School - Richardton
• Richland 44 Public School - Abercrombie
• Rolette Public School
• Rugby Public School
• Saint Anne School-Bismarck
• Saint Mary’s School - Bismarck
• Sargent Central Public School - Forman
• Sawyer Public School
• Scranton Public School
• Solen Public School District - Cannonball
• South Heart Public School
• St John Public School
• St John's Academy - Jamestown
• St. Alphonsus School - Langdon
• Starkweather Public School
• Sterling Public School
• Strasburg Public School
• The Innovation School - Bismarck
• Tiny Turtles - Belcourt
• Trinity Elem School - Fargo
• Turtle Lake-Mercer Pub School
• Underwood Public School
• Victory Christian School - Jamestown
• Valley-Edinburg Public School
• Washburn Public School
• Westhope Public School
• Wilton Public School
• Wing Public School
• Wishek Public School
• Zeeland Public School