March Madness has started. No, I’m not referring to the NCAA Tournament, I’m writing about another kind of madness. The application process to public pre k schools. And if you’re lucky your son(s) or daughter(s) or a combination will get into their highest seeded school.
The application process for public pre k opened on March 16 and runs until April 24. What are your first steps? Simple. Find out what school you’re zoned for. Everyone has one zoned school, but that doesn't mean you have to only try for that school. First step would be to visit insideschools.org and research the schools in your zone. Just remember that just because a school in your zone, doesn't mean you're zoned for that school. Being zoned for a school means that's the school your child most probably will attend. But with my son we didn't get into any pre k school. But we learned a lesson. We learned you can apply to up to 12 schools on http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEnrollment/PreK/default.htm. Log on to www.insideschools.org and research the schools in your "zone" and not only the one you are zoned for.
For kindergarten we knew we could probably get into our zoned school PS 163, PS 75, or PS 84. We had no doubt that all those schools would be good some day but got the developing status. So we decided to try and take a bit of a risk. We applied to a school which we heard about from friends and relatives. Everyone had good things to say about it. So with the application we applied to a reach school PS 166, figuring we were close enough (we're on 96th Street and the school is on 89th street), we didn't get in there, but gave it the old college (or kindergarten try). A friend of ours who son took the G&T test got into that school for G&T so it never hurts to try. With out second choice we selected PS 333 the school that friends and relatives were touting. We got in. This leads me to a point. We choose PS 333 as our second choice, and were accepted. That means that if you lived in the area within five blocks, I'm assuming and picked PS 333 as your top or second choice you would get in.
But along with the http://schools.nyc.gov/ application, we also applied and were accepted at a very good new school called Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School. Yes the school does teach Hebrew to all students, but the school is the most diverse school in the city. NYC public schools have a problem. According to published reports (and common sense) NYC has the most segregated school system in the nation. If you live on the upper east side, gramercy park area chances are the school your child will go to will be mostly white and if you live on 96th street on the east or west side the schools are mostly black and Spanish. The schools on 96th street on the east or west side get less funding are most crowded and have lower test scores then those schools just blocks away (89th Street to be exact).
But charter schools Mayor Bill de Blasio's target of lies and deception, has leveled the playing field, allowing students in underserved school zones, the option to attend a well funded, clean quality school and get the kind of education those who live a few blocks south get. Charter schools are lessening the burden put on by underserved school but accepting students that would have attended those schools, thus making those schools less crowded and therefore better. Do some research on charter schools and apply to the ones you like. Charter schools have separate applications and won't have an impact on the public pre k or kindergarten application process. So why not research charter schools also and apply to the ones you like. It can't hurt.
So in conclusion, don't just apply to one school, the school you’re zoned for. Apply to as many schools as you can. Rate the schools you like the best with higher ratings and still apply to the school you are zoned for as a safety school. And don't forget to apply to charter schools also. They have separate applications and won't hurt your application to public pre k schools. Make sure the big winners in March Madness are you and your child.
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