Community Schools

• Kinder Plus applications for 2026-2027 school year may be entered, beginning January 21, 2026. [Link to create your application forthcoming]

• Your Kinder Plus application will be time/date stamped. 

• Kinder Plus applications will not be processed until Community Schools receives confirmation from the school that your child’s Regular Kindergarten Registration has been received. As such, there are no guaranteed Kinder Plus spots...However, the district will do its best to accommodate as many families as possible in the Kinder Plus program. 

• $75 Application fees and tuition payments are non-refundable. If an Open Enrolled family is unable to secure a spot in their first choice school, tuition will not be charged.

• Spaces may not be reserved for K+ at multiple schools...select the first-choice school.

• Yearly tuition is $3,150 (10 payments of $315/month, non-refundable). 

• Tuition discounts based on demonstrated financial need (maximum 20% discount) may be available. Contact the Community Schools office for a fee-reduction application form. 

• Kindergarten Plus tuition is eligible for the Arizona State income tax credit as allowed by A.R.S. 43-1089, (up to $400 for joint filers, per tax year. Please contact your tax advisor for more information. These non-refundable tax credit payments may be claimed for 2 calendar years, per individual or per couple joint filing.

• We are committed to high standards of excellence in all our school district programs and know that children that are enrolled in our Kindergarten programs experience a high degree of success as they enter our first-grade classes. By enrolling your child in our Kindergarten programs, you will be taking the first step for your child’s successful educational journey in Catalina Foothills School District. 

Sincerely,
The CFSD Community Schools and Elementary Administrative Team

Q.  When will I know if my Kinder Plus application has been approved?

A .  A decision on your Kinder Plus Application will occur after you complete the “Open Enrollment” (if needed) and school registration processes at your child's school.   Please see the Kindergarten flow chart for more details. At the time of application, a $75* application fee will be charged, and you will receive a confirmation email that your application has been received. *Note: The application fee is fully non-refundable, regardless of placement, unless open enrollment to CFSD is denied. The application for Kinder Plus and the paid application fee do not guarantee placement in a Kindergarten Plus classroom.

Q.  I applied for Kinder Plus, why do I have to wait for my child to be accepted into Kinder Plus?

A.  We need to ensure that your child’s Regular 1/2-day kindergarten registration has been received by the school to confirm your child will attend one of the four Catalina Foothills Elementary Schools.  Once you have completed the district enrollment process at your child's school, the district will notify our office and we will be able to review and accept your Kinder Plus application, pending available space at that site.  

Q.  When is the latest that I will find out if we will be eligible for Full Day Kindergarten?

A.  Keeping in mind that AZ does not sponsor Full Day Kindergarten, we must evaluate each application independently. Applications will be processed for In-District resident families, beginning in late January and for Open-Enrolled families, the second week of February. Community Schools will process applications and fill one section of Kindergarten Plus at a time. While no "latest date" is set for notification, it benefits our schools and your family if you submit your Kinder Plus application as soon as possible, so we are able to make staffing decisions.

Q.  How will I know if my child was accepted into Kinder Plus?

A.   You will receive a confirmation phone call and welcome email (based on the contact information you listed on your Kinder Plus application) notifying you that your Kinder Plus application has been accepted. Upon our acceptance, first month's tuition of $315.00 will be automatically charged to your saved payment method at the time of acceptance. Please note, a denied charge on your saved payment method may result in delay of acceptance.

Q.  I have enrolled in the district and checked the box that I am interested in Kinder Plus, do I need to do anything else?

A.  Yes, you will still need to complete a separate application for Kinder Plus.  You may complete the Kinder Plus application after 8am on January 21, 2025 at Application Portal, however we will not begin to process your application until we receive a confirmation from the district school office that your application for Regular 1/2 day Kindergarten has been accepted. 

Q.  Who do I call to confirm or reach out with questions on my status of my Kinder Plus application?

A.  You may contact Carrie Williams (520)209-7548 kplus@cfsd16.org at our office with questions, however we will not have any additional information regarding pending applications until after we receive confirmation from the district that your Regular 1/2 day Kindergarten registration has been finalized at your child's school. 

1) Will the state provide funding for full day Kindergarten?

For the 2025-2026 school year (and foreseeable future), we know that the state has decided to fund ½ day Kindergarten only for all public schools. Therefore, a full-day option will not be funded by the state for school year 2025-2026.

2) How will curriculum be modified to fit the half-day schedule and still achieve CFSD benchmarks?

The curriculum will remain the same, just with less time devoted to each content area. The Kindergarten Plus program will provide opportunities for more in-depth learning to take place, as well as time to practice skills and concepts.

3) Will my child get specials in the "regular" Kindergarten program?

Every Kindergarten student will receive specials according to the master schedule created by the site principals.

4) Do we get to choose morning or afternoon Kindergarten?

Site principals will balance student enrollments (both open enrollment and in-district) when placing students in kindergarten classes similar to previous years when CFSD operated half-day Kindergarten programs. Bus routes and schedules will also play an important role when deciding kindergarten placements.

5) How was the cost of the Kindergarten Plus program determined?

The Kindergarten Plus program will be staffed with a certified teacher and 1-2 classroom aides. Kindergarten Plus will provide the opportunity for your child to further explore, practice, and extend key elements in the CFSD Kindergarten curriculum. Your tuition will also include an hour for supervised lunch (students bring their own) and playground time. Your child will have access to the district's technology in the classroom, as well as access to the school library.

6) Why can’t we just have C.A.R.E. operate at this time? Wouldn’t that be more affordable?

For School Year 2025-2026, C.A.R.E. for four(4) hours a day for a month would cost approximately $480-$575. That program would be structured as a childcare program, without a certified teacher. We believe that having certified teachers supplementing the CFSD Kindergarten curriculum provides a better structured learning environment, and at a more affordable cost each month.

7) I don’t think I’m going to be able to afford Kindergarten Plus, but could I pay a nominal fee to have my child stay through lunch for the social interaction and help me out in terms of picking them up/dropping them off?

At this time we will not be able to accommodate this request. Staffing the lunch hour will be a challenge depending on the numbers of children that enroll in morning and afternoon programs.

8) Is there any chance there could be a cost cut across the board if we guarantee a minimum enrollment in Kindergarten Plus?

We must commit to paying each staff member’s salary. This option could jeopardize the security of these positions. There are other variables that could affect the guarantee of minimum enrollment, including but not limited to parents choosing to withdraw during the school year.

9) Why do we have to pay for full day Kindergarten when other districts are providing it free?

All school districts have a variety of funding streams available. The main funding stream is dollars per student from the state of Arizona. The state provides funding to all districts for a half-day of Kindergarten. Other funding streams exist depending on socioeconomic status, grants received, etc... Several surrounding districts have chosen to take additional funds they have available (that CFSD does not receive) and lump them into providing a free Kindergarten program.

10) Do I get to pick my child’s teacher?

No. The principal will take suggestions, but no promises are made about which teacher your student will have.

11) If enrolled in Spanish Immersion and Kindergarten Plus, will there be a Kinder Plus for Spanish Immersion students separate from regular Kindergarten students?

During the half-day kindergarten program, 100% of the core instruction (Language Arts or Spanish literacy skills, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health) is taught in Spanish. All special area classes (Art, Music, PE) are taught in English. There will not be a Kinder Plus for Spanish Immersion students separate from non-immersion Kindergarten students.

12) Does a student have to be enrolled in Kindergarten Plus in order to be in the immersion program?

No.

13) Kindergarten Plus tuition is eligible for the Arizona State income tax credit as allowed by A.R.S. 43-1089.01,  (up to $400 for joint filers, per tax year). Please contact your tax advisor for more information. This tuition must be paid through the Community Schools office. It can not be paid through the district tax credit site.