Los Alamos Public Schools has New Mexico Preschool programs at every elementary school. These programs serve students who have reached their 4th birthday by September 1st. Families apply through a lottery that opens in the spring of each school year. Selection is done through a random number generator and families are notified by June 30th of their child’s status. Children who are not selected are placed on a waiting list and notified if vacancies occur during the coming school year. The NM PreK program is jointly administered by the Public Education Department and the Children, Youth, and Families Department. Four-year-old children with disabilities are included in the NM PreK programs at their residence area schools.