Kindergarten in Mount Prospect and Wheeling: District Guide

Updated November 2026 from district and village websites. Dates change each year, so confirm details with your district.

Mount Prospect and Wheeling are each served by more than one elementary school district, so the first step is to find which district covers your address. Most Wheeling families are in Community Consolidated School District 21. Mount Prospect is split among several districts, and many families there are in Mount Prospect School District 57 or District 21. A child must be 5 on or before September 1 to start kindergarten.

Find your district first

Village borders and school boundaries do not line up. The Village of Mount Prospect lists six elementary districts within its borders: District 57, District 59, River Trails District 26, District 21, Prospect Heights District 23 and Arlington Heights District 25. Two neighbors on the same street can attend different schools.

Use the village's district map or each district's boundary lookup, or call the district office with your address. Your district decides your school, the kindergarten schedule and registration dates.

Community Consolidated School District 21

District 21 serves pre-K through 8th grade students from parts of Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Mount Prospect, Northbrook and Prospect Heights. It has nine K-5 elementary schools, including Frost Elementary in Mount Prospect and Field, Tarkington, Twain and Whitman in Wheeling, and it offers full-day kindergarten.

• Registration: for 2026-27, registration for incoming kindergartners and new students opened on February 2, 2026. Families register online, upload documents, and get an email confirmation once everything is complete.
• Kindergarten Round-Up: in March, each elementary school hosts an evening where families hear a short presentation on full-day kindergarten, finish registration steps and drop off documents in one visit.

Mount Prospect School District 57

District 57 serves central Mount Prospect with three elementary buildings: Westbrook School for Young Learners for pre-K through 1st grade, and Fairview and Lions Park for 2nd through 5th grade. Students then attend Lincoln Middle School.

District 57 has run half-day kindergarten with morning and afternoon sessions, using a lottery for the morning spots. The district has been planning for the state's full-day requirement, so ask which schedule applies for your child's year. For 2026-27, kindergarten started on August 20, 2026, two days after grades 1 to 8, and the last day of kindergarten is May 21, 2027.

The full-day kindergarten law

Under Illinois law, starting with the 2027-28 school year, every school district must offer full-day kindergarten. Districts may still offer a half-day option. Districts that did not offer full-day kindergarten as of October 2022 can apply for up to two more years if they meet certain funding or building-capacity conditions.

For families with a child starting in fall 2027 or later, that means a full-day option should be available in most districts. Kindergarten is still not mandatory in Illinois. Children must be in school by age 6.

What to bring

• Certified birth certificate
• Proof of residency, such as a lease or mortgage statement and a recent utility bill
• Health exam, immunization, dental and eye exam forms by the state deadlines

See our kindergarten registration guide and kindergarten health requirements.

A sample timeline for next fall

• Fall and early winter: confirm your district and school, and book the kindergarten physical and eye exam.
• February: registration usually opens. District 21 opened February 2 in 2026.
• March: Kindergarten Round-Up nights in District 21.
• Spring: school visits, any lotteries or schedule choices, and dental visits.
• Summer: practice routines, visit the playground, and finish paperwork.
• Mid to late August: first day of kindergarten. Some districts start kindergartners a day or two after older grades.

Planning care around the school day

Full-day kindergarten usually ends mid-afternoon, and half-day kindergarten ends around lunch or starts after it. Districts also have institute days, conference days and breaks when daycare stays open. Look at park district and school-based before and after school programs, and sign up early, since spots can fill by spring. See before and after school care for kindergarteners.

Frequently asked questions

Which school district is Wheeling in?

Most of Wheeling is in Community Consolidated School District 21. Check the boundary map for your address.

Does District 21 have full-day kindergarten?

Yes. District 21 offers full-day kindergarten at its elementary schools.

Is District 57 kindergarten full-day or half-day?

District 57 has offered half-day kindergarten with morning and afternoon sessions. State law requires a full-day option from 2027-28, so ask the district what applies to your child's start year.

Is all of Mount Prospect in District 57?

No. Mount Prospect includes parts of six elementary districts, including 57, 59, 26, 21, 23 and 25. Check your address.

Children's Land in Wheeling and Mount Prospect

Our Wheeling location at 850 McHenry Road and our Mount Prospect location at 621 N. Main Street are open Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with hot breakfast and lunch. Extras at both include yoga, gymnastics and soccer, and summer camp serves children through age 12. Ask each location which programs it offers, or contact us.

Related reading: Things to Do With Kids in Wheeling, IL.