Kindergarten application season will soon be in full swing—just around the time you’ve digested the last of your leftover stuffing. All families with a child born in 2011 should apply between Dec. 7-Jan. 15, 2016. For most families, this means scheduling tours, pouring through Insideschools reviews and playing with elementary rankings like a fantasy football fanatic.

For families of kids with special needs, there are often more subtle, challenging considerations: What supports can my zoned school offer my child? Does the school welcome children with learning differences? Is the school accessible? Does my child need an aide, an integrated classroom or something more?

Children already receiving special services will be making the transition from pre-school special education services to the Committee on Special Education, and it’s not always as simple as it sounds. Many of the supports a child might have received in preschool shift as she enters kindergarten, and academic demands are often higher. Others may be entering the world of special education in New York City schools for the very first time.

To help make sense of the transition and answer any questions parents may have, the Department of Education has begun hosting information sessions specifically targeted to families of children with special needs who will be applying to kindergarten this year. Workshops in the Bronx were held earlier this month, but more workshops are coming up in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The same information will be covered at every one.

Brooklyn

| Date | Time | Location | Contact |
| Wednesday, Nov. 18 | 6–8 pm |

PS 264 Bay Ridge Elem. School for the Arts 371 89th Street Brooklyn, NY 11209

|

CSE #7, Brooklyn (718) 759-4900

|
|

Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015

| 9:30–11:30 am |

P.S. 190 Sheffield 590 Sheffield Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11207

|

CSE #5, (718) 240-3557

|

Manhattan

| Date | Time | Location | Contact |
|

Friday, Nov. 20

| 9:30– 11:30 am |

CUNY Graduate Center 365 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10016

|

(212) 374-6085

|

Queens

| Date | Time | Location | Contact |
|

Monday, Dec. 7

| 9:30–11:30 am |

P.S. 69 Jackson Heights 77-02 37th Avenue Queens, NY 11372

|

CSE #4 (718) 391-8405

|
| Monday, Dec. 7 |

6 – 8 pm

|

Committee on Special Education (CSE) #3, 90-27 Sutphin Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11435

|

CSE #3 Sutphin Office (718) 557-2553

|

Staten Island

| Date | Time | Location | Contact |
|

Thursday, Dec. 10

| 9:30–11:30 am |

The Michael J. Petrides School 715 Ocean Terrace, Building B Staten Island, NY 10301

|

CSE #7, Staten Island (718) 420-5790

|
|

Thursday, Dec. 10

| 6–8 pm |

The Michael J. Petrides School 715 Ocean Terrace, Building B Staten Island, NY 10301

|

CSE #7, Staten Island (718) 420-5790

|

*All sites listed here are wheelchair accessible. Please call using the numbers listed if you are hearing impaired or need language interpretation services.

The DOE is also offering kindergarten info sessions for families in December. See the dates here.

And watch our video "Touring Schools for your Special Needs Child" below.