Your independent guide to NYC public schools

I think it's terrible that the chancellor revised sibling priority. This revision was done on 3/122012 right before deadline for prek application due by April 5, 2012. It's unfair that siblings can not attend the same school. I have three kids and my daughter did not get an offer for prek at the school her older siblings attend. The school is not my zone. My oldest is in G&T and my second son did well on G&T test but no space for him at the school. The school s very good that's why I did not apply to another school. I also can not drop off and pick up my kids at different schools. It will cause a hardship. How can I be more prepared in order for her to attend same school as her siblings for kindergarten?

You can't "prepare". The rule is that in-zone non-siblings get priority over out-of-zone siblings. So assuming there is space in the school after all the in-zone children get seats, your child will get a kindergarten seat, no "preparations" necessary. The best you can do is ask the school's parent coordinator if they were able to provide kindergarten seats for all out-of-zone siblings for this year and that will give you some sense of what might be in store, although of course numbers shift each year.

If you are worried that there is a chance your child won't get a seat at the same school as his siblings and you don't like your zoned option, you can also spend the year exploring alternatives.

I would think it would be easier to get one child into a good school instead of trying to get three children in to a school. My zone school is not the best and moving now is not an option. I shouldn't have to drop of my kids at different elementary schools. Both my boys did well on the G&T exam. One is in the program since kindergarten and the second did well for 3rd grade. I plan to prepare my 3rd for the kindergarten exam but just in case no seat available for her I need a plan. I need to know who in DOE I need o contact.

The DoE isn't likely to make an exception - if there isn't space for out-of-zone siblings, there isn't space. You will probably be told that if it is a hardship to do multiple drop-offs that you can move all kids to your zoned school (I don't think the DoE will care that you don't like your zoned school or about the disruption for your older children to move schools).

If you want to try to plead your case, I believe your district's enrollment office is the place to turn. That contact information is buried somewhere on schools.nyc.gov.

Good luck.

There are some good advice, which exactly giving proper idea about the zone's important. And it is true that no high preparation is required. The second reply almost says all to good idea about it. Thank you for sharing your advices with us.