Lawrence schools plan preschool expansion, college readiness and staffing goals

Lawrence school leaders are planning new preschool classrooms at Deerfield Elementary and Prairie Park Elementary, while Lawrence Virtual School students are set to get broader college-credit access through Jayhawk Blueprint in spring 2027. Jeanice Swift said preschool seats are already in short supply, as 230 applications have been filed for 120 openings.

Lawrence Public Schools preschool applications for the 2026-27 year are open, with children required to be 3 or 4 by Aug. 31, 2026. Preschool starts Aug. 18, and building-based preschool will cost $690 a month next year, while Kennedy Early Childhood Center’s peer model program will cost $150. Free tuition is available for eligible families who meet state at-risk requirements. District preschool sites include Kennedy Early Childhood Center, New York Montessori, Deerfield, Prairie Park, Sunflower and Woodlawn. Its long-term goal is to serve every preschool-age child in Lawrence through a mix of neighborhood classrooms and programming at Kennedy.

The college-readiness push runs through Jayhawk Blueprint, the University of Kansas partnership that lets students earn both high school and KU credit. The current USD 497 lineup includes ENGL 101, ENGL 102, BIOL 100 and 102, COMS 130, HIST 128 and 129, and MATH 101, and the courses are approved by the Kansas Board of Regents as systemwide transfer courses. Lawrence Virtual School students will get English composition through the program in spring 2027, with later expansion possible in math and biology.

On May 26, the board approved pay increases and negotiated agreements with certified employees and education support professionals for the 2026-27 school year. Swift said certified-employee turnover fell to 9.2% in 2025-26. The August rollout also includes Centennial Choice Campus and a Family Engagement Center, along with the Open Engagement Welcome Center at 110 McDonald Drive, first outlined in March.