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Levittown UPK lottery fills 340 state-funded seats; 68 placed on wait list
Summary
The Levittown Union Free School District drew 340 names from 408 applicants for 2026'27 state-funded Universal Pre-K seats; the remaining 68 applicants were placed on a wait list. Director Dr. Patty Kalanicki ran the random selection and said families will be notified by about noon the next day.
Dr. Patty Kalanicki, director of educational services and the district's UPK coordinator, conducted a random drawing to allocate 340 state-funded Universal Pre-K seats from 408 applicants for the 2026'27 school year. The district recorded each selected name and removed it from the spinning wheel as winners were announced.
Kalanicki said the applicant pool included seven sets of twins and explained that each set occupies a single wheel entry, meaning both children are offered seats if that entry is selected. "There are a total of 408 applicants, which includes 7 sets of twins," she said, and added that if a drawn name does not meet the program's eligibility criteria the spot will be given to the next person on the wait list.
New York State grant funding currently supports 340 UPK seats in Levittown, Kalanicki said, and the district expects that funding to continue for the 2026'27 school year. "The first 340 names drawn will be offered a place in our UPK program," she said. The district paused after filling the first 340 places and then drew the final 68 names to establish the wait list.
The district identified its current UPK partner, Tendergarden, and said the expected increase in state funding requires the district to run a formal request-for-proposals process to select program providers. "Due to the expected increased level of state funding supporting our program, the district is required to conduct a formal request for proposals process," Kalanicki said; the district will notify enrolled families once providers are finalized.
Kalanicki summarized program logistics: eligible children must have birthdates between Dec. 2, 2021, and Dec. 1, 2022; the grant requires five hours of attendance per day; and transportation is not provided. She urged families not to contact the district office while staff prepare notifications and said confirmations would be emailed by about noon the following day. "By tomorrow around noon time, if you were chosen, you will receive an email confirming either your child's placement in the program or their position on the wait list," she said.
Kalanicki closed the session by encouraging families on the wait list not to be dissuaded, noting that wait-list movement often occurs when registration begins. The district will post additional details about program schedules, finalized providers and registration steps on its website once those items are set.
