Standard Application, Timeline, and Admissions Criteria to Make Process Fairer, Easier for Families
New Process Will be Used For Kindergarten Admissions Beginning in 2009
Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today proposed a simplified and standardized pre-Kindergarten admissions process that would make it easier for families to choose a program that meets their needs. Currently, pre-Kindergarten admissions processes and timelines vary widely among districts, making the enrollment process confusing, unfair, and difficult for families to navigate. The Chancellor’s announcement of a standard application, timeline, and admissions criteria would apply to all public school pre-Kindergarten programs in New York City. Families would receive applications and a directory of pre-Kindergarten programs—including both public programs and programs run by community-based organizations—in early March. Applications would be due at the end of March, and families would receive admission offers in May. Although pre-Kindergarten programs run by community-based organizations would continue to use separate applications, they would follow the Citywide application timeline. All students who turn four years old by December 31, 2008, will be eligible to apply for pre-Kindergarten this year.
“Our pre-Kindergarten admissions process varies widely from district to district, too often adding to the understandable anxiety of sending a child to school for the first time,” Chancellor Klein said. “We need to replace the numerous rules and timelines with a single, simple, fair process. Every family will receive the same information about their pre-Kindergarten options and will have the same opportunity to choose a program that’s right for their child. We owe it to families to make their transition to school as friendly as possible.”
Under today’s proposal, a single application for all public school pre-Kindergarten programs would be available at schools, borough enrollment offices, community-based organizations, and on the website of the Department of Education (DOE) beginning in early March. Families would also have access to a directory that includes details about all the City’s and community-based organization pre-Kindergarten programs. Using the directory, families could rank up to five programs in order of preference.
Every public school pre-Kindergarten program would admit children using the following admissions priorities:
- Students applying to a program at their zoned school (highest priority).
- In-district students with no zoned school or whose zoned school has no pre-Kindergarten program
- In-district students applying to a program at a school other than their zoned school
- Out-of-district students applying to a program at a school in their borough
- Out-of-district students applying to a program at a school outside their borough (lowest priority).
Within each category above, siblings of students already enrolled at a school will have the highest priority. A lottery will determine admission when the number of applicants who meet the same criteria is greater than the number of remaining seats in a program. Families would receive an offer to a pre-Kindergarten program in early May and have until the end of the month to accept or decline it.
Because the proposed process would be managed by the central Office of Student Enrollment, the DOE would be able to track demand for pre-Kindergarten programs in different areas of the city more closely than has been possible in past years. The DOE would create new programs in future years based on this data.
After the new process has been in place for one year at the pre-Kindergarten level, it would be applied to Kindergarten admissions as well in 2009. Kindergarten admissions would feature a single application and timeline and a directory of schools. Kindergarten admissions priorities would be the same as those used in pre-Kindergarten. The Kindergarten admissions process would remain unchanged this year.
The DOE will hold information sessions in every borough so that families can learn more about this proposal and provide feedback. The dates and locations of the sessions are below. Each session will run from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Translation and interpretation services will be available. Members of the public can also e-mail comments to ES_Enrollment@schools.nyc.gov or fax them to 212-374-5569 until February 18.
Brooklyn
January 30 – Brooklyn Technical High School (29 Fort Greene Pl.)
Manhattan
January 31 – Louis D. Brandeis High School (145 W. 84th St.)
Queens
February 4 – Jamaica High School (167-01 Gothic Dr.)
Staten Island
February 11 – New Dorp High School (465 New Dorp Ln.)
Bronx
February 12 – DeWitt Clinton High School (100 W. Mosholu Parkway S.)
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Contact: David Cantor / Andrew Jacob (212) 374-5141