Parents should submit applications for kindergarten by March 1, particularly if they want to explore options outside their zoned neighborhood school. You may apply directly to as many schools as you like: be sure to bring your child's birth certificate and proof of address. You'll find out in April if your child has a seat.

In most cases, you are guaranteed a seat in your zoned neighborhood school--whether you apply now or later in the spring or summer. But if you want to consider all your options (or if your neighborhood school is so crowded that it has a waitlist) now is the time to get started.

We've researched some neighborhood schools that may have room for children outside the zone, dual language programs and unzoned schools that select via lottery in Brooklyn and Staten Island, the city's largest and smallest boroughs. The city's new elementary school directory is another useful source of information. We'll offer another post on charter school options next month.

District 13: Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, part of Park Slope & Brooklyn Heights

Arts and Letters in Fort Greene is a highly sought after school that holds a lottery for kindergarten admissions. PS 133, a small school in lower Park Slope which was displaced for several years, is moving into a new building in September. It is now unzoned and serves both districts 13 and 15. It offers dual language programs in French and Spanish. PS 11 and PS 20 in Clinton Hill usually have space for out of zone children, even though PS 20 may not let you know until suimmer.  PS 9 in Prospect Heights has a dual language program that takes native Spanish speakers from out of zone. PS 307offers the only Mandarin Chinese dual language program in the district. PS 282 in Park Slope is a traditional K-8 school that is a top pick for many out-of-zone parents.

District 14: Williamsburg and Greenpoint

PS 110 in Greenpoint has a nice arts program and takes out of zone students, especially in its French dual language program. Williamsburg's PS 250, PS 257, and PS 380 have magnet programs that accept out of zone children. PS 84 has very involved parents, a good Spanish dual language program and a NEST program for autistic students. PS 414, Brooklyn Arbor School, opened in 2012, and is already very popuar with parents. The highly traditional PS 31 and nearby PS 34, long the highest-scoring schools in the district, both take some out-of-zone kids.

District 15: Carroll Gardens, Sunset Park, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Red Hook

District 15 has lots of good schools but many are overcrowded. Rezoning in Park Slope this year should help. PS 133 on 4th Avenue is now an option for District 15 families. PS 118, the Maurice Sendak School is sure to have openings. PS 261, PS 154, and PS 295 are all good schools that may have space. PS 10's zone increased by eight blocks and it will probably not have space for out of zone children, at least in the initial round, the parent coordinator said. PS 32 in Boerum Hill  is a good option, especially for parents of children with special needs or in the gifted program. PS 38 has a very strong arts program and lots of space. PS 58 in Carroll Gardens is overcrowded but out-of-zone native French speakers have a shot at getting into the dual language program. The Brooklyn New School in Carroll Gardens is a sought-after school that uses a lottery system for admissions, open to all of Brooklyn. Siblings get priority. The Children's School in Park Slope also holds a lottery; about half of the slots go to District 15's special needs kids.

District 16: Bedford-Stuyvesant

PS 21 and PS 335 are good schools with space. Brooklyn Brownstone is a tiny unzoned school, opened in 2008, with strong parent participation. 

District 17: East Flatbush, Crown Heights and Prospect Heights

In Crown Heights, PS 705 is a new school attracting educated parents.PS 770 has a novel approach to education,with classes of 60 kids and four teachers. PS 189's Haitian Creole and Spanish dual language programs take students from District 17. PS 249 in Flatbush historically has taken out of zone students, especially in its well-established dual language Spanish program. 

District 18: Flatbush and Canarsie

PS 66 in Canarsie takes children from all of District 18. PS 244, (East Flatbush), is a barrier free school that offers a NEST program for higher functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).  PS 235 is spread over several buildings but it sometimes has seats for children from outside the zone.

District 19: East New York

PS 89 has a good arts program, a Spanish dual language program and is open to all children from District 19.  PS 273, a pleasant school with a dual language Spanish program, has seats for children from outside of the zone. The Spanish dual language programs at PS 108 and PS 214 take children from all of District 19.

District 20: Borough Park, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and part of Sunset Park

Many of the District 20 schools are at capacity and several had waitlists for zoned kindergartners last year. There are a few exceptions. The Academy of Talented Scholars in Bensonhurst is open districtwide as is the Russian dual language gifted program at PS 200.  A popular middle school, IS 30, is moving to a new building in September and is accepting kindergartners as it expands to become a K-8 school. PS/1S 180, The Seeall Academy, is a K-8 school that accepts from from outside the zone. PS 264, the Bay Ridge Elementary School for the Arts, opened in 2010 and, as a new school, may have room. PS 164, located near the border with District 15, often has a few seats for students outside the zone.

District 21: Coney Island and Brighton Beach

Families in District 21 tend to send their children to their neighborhood schools, rather than shop around. There are no dual language or unzoned schools.

District 22: Ditmas Park, Midwood, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay

Even though PS 217 in Ditmas Park is packed, parents have been told that the school takes out of zone kids. PS 193 in Midwood and PS 52 in Sheepshead Bay have a few out of zone seats. PS 245in East Flatbush has space. PS 361, which only goes through 2nd grade, is worth a try. Your best bet in this increasingly crowded district might be at one of the 11 Gifted & Talented programs, or getting your name on a waitlist at your preferred school, knowing you might not find out about a slot until August or September.

District 23: Ocean Hill, Brownsville, and part of East New York

There are no longer zoned schools in District 23 and most schools are struggling academically. Best bets might be PS/IS 137 and PS/IS 323and the new PS 446 Riverdale Avenue Community School. 

District 32: Bushwick and Bed-Stuy

PS 376 has a Gifted & Talented program open to all children in District 32 who score a 90 percent or above on the exam, but offers no unzoned or dual language programs. Several district schools were rezoned this year. Click here to see a map of the new zones.

Staten Island

Most children in Staten Island go to their zoned neighborhood school. Two unzoned options are PS 65 in Tompkinville and Michael J. Petrides, a K-12 school, both open to the whole island. Five schools offer dual language programs, which sometimes have space for out of zone students: PS 16, PS 19, PS 22, PS 44 and PS 78.