Still looking for a pre-k? Check out our mobile site
Still looking for a pre-k spot as the July 10 Round 2 deadline looms? Try our new mobile pre-kindergarten search on your phone or mobile device! Many public schools, pre-k centers and early education centers still have room for this year's crop of 4-year-olds.
Visit Insideschools.org on your phone and you'll be prompted to visit the mobile site for pre-kindergarten. Type in your address and up pops your zoned school and whether it offers pre-k. You'll also see every pre-k option near your home or work, if you type in that address. Click through to read our reviews of public schools that offer pre-k.
Even if you already received a pre-k offer, you can take advantage of Round 2 which is comprised mainly of new programs that were not listed in Round 1. Like the first round, you can apply online, over the phone by calling 311 or in person at a Family Welcome Center.
The Round 2 list doesn't show the many public schools that still have space, which may be misleading for parents. You'll have to contact the schools directly to find out if they have available seats. Everyone who applied in Round 1 was waitlisted at all programs that they listed higher on their application than the school that offered them a seat. Waitlisted students get first dibs at open seats but there will still be plenty of open seats at some schools.
Gloria Brandman, a teacher at PS 307 in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn, is registering pre-k parents over the summer. The school offers 100 pre-k seats and has many open spots. "We have a big sign hanging up out front encouraging parents to come in and register. Our seats are not filled," she said.
A Department of Education spokesperson confirmed in an email that "families can reach out directly to programs from the main round to see about waitlists and availabilities." Reach out to a Family Welcome Center if you can't reach the school," he advised.
Parent Coordinator Tracey Arrington, at PS 20 on the Lower East Side, suggests parents email the school about waitlists, as staff is not always available to answer phones. "I would always recommend [parents] email someone because we're all checking our email," she said. "Things change. Even the three classes that are full may shift. Things happen over the summer," she said.
A pre-k finder map on the DOE's website shows new programs added since Round 1. These are almost exclusively DOE pre-k centers (and a few early education centers). The free-standing pre-k centers are run by DOE-appointed site coordinators. (Read more about these pre-k centers on DNAinfo.com).
All pre-k centers will host open houses in August when families who have been accepted can tour the program, meet staff and register their children, according to the DOE.
Round 2 decision letters will be sent out in early-August. Families will need to pre-register in person with their child and required paperwork by mid-August. In the meantime, good luck and let us know how the process is working for you!
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