The nearly 9,000 4-year-olds who were shut out in the first round of pre-kindergarten applications for next year will have another chance to apply beginning on July 18.

The Department of Education is compiling a new directory of schools, daycare centers, and community organizations that will have space available for full and half-day programs next fall and will post it online by Monday, July 18. Directories and applications will also be available at enrollment office. Families must submit online applications by 11 p.m. July 31. You may pick up a paper application at an enrollment office and submit it by 3 p.m. on Friday, July 29.

In the first round of admissions, 28,815 families applied but there was space for only 19,834.  In last year's second round 8500 children applied for 6764 open seats. And, that's not counting the thousands of seats available at YMCA's, daycare centers, and other community organizations, which will also listed in the directory.

Last year's 2nd round applicants were notified the first week in September as to whether they had snagged a seat and had to wait until school opened to register their children. Many schools continued to have seats open even late in October last year, but by the time school starts most families have made other arrangements for their pre-school children or are unable to commute to programs far from home or to half day programs.