Original Research by School Decision on Preschool Options
Preschool Options serves a very specific role within the Stevens Point Area Public School District. It is a special education school that enrolls children only in pre-kindergarten, and it is the only school in the district that operates at that single grade level. Because the school serves just one year before kindergarten, its size is small even for that narrow band. A substantial share of the students who attend come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and the student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share identifying as Hispanic.
The school’s purpose is shaped by its designation as a special education school. That means the program is designed to provide early childhood special education services to children who have been identified as needing additional support before they enter kindergarten. Families whose children are referred to Preschool Options are likely working with the district’s child find or early intervention process. The school does not serve a general pre-kindergarten population, so it is not the typical preschool option for most families in Stevens Point.
Because Preschool Options serves only pre-kindergarten, many of the standard academic accountability measures do not apply. The state does not administer proficiency tests at this grade level, so there are no test results to report. There is no graduation rate, as the school does not serve high school grades. For the same reason, chronic absenteeism data is not available, and the comparison that places the district among its county peers is not relevant at this level. A parent looking for typical academic performance metrics will find none here, but that absence reflects the school’s grade band and mission rather than any shortcoming.
The school sits within the Stevens Point Area Public School District, which covers the city of Stevens Point and surrounding areas. Stevens Point itself blends a college-town atmosphere with corporate headquarters and industrial employment. It is the county seat of Portage County and home to the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and Mid-State Technical College. Major employers include Sentry Insurance, Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Skyward, and the Stevens Point Brewery, among others. The downtown Public Square, rebuilt in recent years, hosts restaurants, shops, and a farmers’ market, and the city maintains an extensive network of parks and a multi-use trail system. The housing market in the area, like much of Wisconsin, has seen price growth, and rents have also edged upward. The area is served by five major highways, and commercial air service is available at Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee.
The district itself recently approved a pair of referendum measures in late 2024. One authorized capital spending for building improvements, including safety and security upgrades, HVAC work, and additions at the district’s main high school and one junior high, along with districtwide accessibility upgrades. The other allows the district to exceed its state revenue limit for a set number of years to fund ongoing maintenance and operations. Both passed with roughly half to just over half of the vote, meaning they carry property tax implications for district residents. For families considering Preschool Options, the larger district context matters because the same leadership and facilities plan will shape the elementary schools their child may enter after pre-kindergarten.
Preschool Options is not a school that most families will choose in the usual sense; it is a placement reached through the district’s special education evaluation process. For parents whose child has been found eligible for early childhood special education services, it represents a structured, small-setting introduction to school within a district that is investing in its facilities and operations. For everyone else, the school does not serve as a general enrollment option.
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