Kindergarten sibling policy, direct from DOE
In response to swirling confusion on this blog and other local parenting sites, here is the official, on the record, DOE sibling enrollment policy for prospective kindergarten students. Enrollment priority, in descending order:
“Zoned students with siblings,
Zoned students without siblings,
Non-zoned students with siblings - first in district, then out,
Non-zoned students without siblings - first in district, then out.”
Thanks, Helen. So this means the classes fill up in this order until they reach a certain number (26 kids?) — is that right? Or can the principals choose to stop letting in kids after the zoned kids are in? Seems those of us with kids in out of zoned schools won’t know about their siblings until the class sizes are clear…
Comment by gussy — November 18, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
I am in same boat as you Gussy. I don’t see how we can find out sooner than August unless they create an in-zone registration cut-off date. I plan to apply all over again to new schools just in case — I just physically can’t be at 2 different schools.
Comment by Anonymous — November 18, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
Kindergarten classes should be limited to 25 or fewer students. Because NYC schools are not legally obliged to enroll youngsters until first grade, individual schools can make decisions to open extra K classes or limit enrollment. Much depends on what else is going on in the building and whether space, funds, and teaching talent are available to serve another K class. As principals control these school-based decisions, options vary from school to school. But in practice, most local kids can go to their local, zoned school for kindergarten, although the school may feel less obliged to families in other zones/districts, unless older siblings are already part of the school community. Anonymous at 4:17, I’m not sure what you mean when you say you’ll apply all over again to new schools. Are you writing about g+t programs or gen-ed K? And do you have an older child at school, and a younger sib you’d like to attend the same school? For both K and g+t K, siblings have priority, provided, of course, they meet g+t entry criteria where applicable.
Comment by Helen — November 18, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
Yes, Helen, my child is applying for Gen Ed to her sister’s school, which is out-of-district for us. School has told me that given projected enrollment they hope to have enough K classes to accommodate her for K, but the budget slashes could prevent them from having as many K classes as they would like. They have a number of out-of-district & out-of-zone PreKers some with sibs & some without. As I want my kids together I will now look to other schools that may be able to offer them both a seat just in case. I wish they could at least grandfather in current sibs.
Comment by 4:17 Anonymous — November 18, 2008 @ 6:13 pm