Which elementary schools offer a great education in math and science? We scoured the city for schools that give ordinary kids an extraordinary education—zoned neighborhood schools, not gifted...

Here's help for 5th-grade parents now in the throes of the hunt for middle school. Insideschools combed the city for good middle schools that are not among the usual favorites—those popular...

The Specialized High School Admissions Test that thousands of 8th-graders will take this weekend has long been a multiple-choice exam scored by a machine. But there are indications that the new...

Offer more test prep. Give all 7th-graders a practice exam and allow 8th- and 9th-grade test-takers more time to complete the competitive specialized high school exam known as the SHSAT. Those are...

Should the city's specialized high schools reserve some spots for top 8th-graders in every city middle school, regardless of the child's score on the specialized high school admissions test...

When Insideschools staff visits a high school we like to hear about students' hopes for the future. Some say they like animals and want to become veterinarians. Others may like to design and build...

The New York City Department of Education (DOE) just wrapped up their summer-time series of high school admissions workshops, including several that focused on the city's nine specialized high...

There are still pre-kindergarten seats available for the fall—not just in public schools but also in religious schools, child care centers and community organizations. Some of the most popular...

As September looms and school waitlists clear (or don't), many Brooklyn families with rising pre-kindergartners approach a time of reckoning. Maybe you’ve been holding out for a popular...

Applications for pre-kindergarten for all children born in 2012 are due next Wednesday, March 9 (The Department of Education extended the deadline to apply from March 4.) For those still looking,...

Confused about the high school admissions process? Department of Education enrollment officers will be traveling to each borough twice in October, offering evening information sessions to families...

Earlier this month we reported that 19 schools originally slated for closure would remain open next fall and we wondered where the new schools scheduled to open in those buildings would be...

The Panel for Educational Policyis scheduled to vote on several school co-locations at its monthly meeting tomorrow, May 18. Also on the agenda for the May meeting are a slew of Department of...

The Department of Education has not yet released the numbers of how many 8th-graders were not matched with a public high school for September and we will share the information as soon as we get it...

April 7 Update:   The Department of Education released an update on April 5 stating that all high school acceptance letters, including those involving schools slated for closure, have been mailed....

March 26 Update -- The earliest a school can set its application deadline is April 1. Many schools, because of next week's vacation, set a later deadline. These dates can be found in the DOE's...

There are many reasons why high school choice in New York City is so fraught and frightening for parents. In a city where parenting can resemble a competitive sport, important questions abound. But...

New York City is such a peculiarly competitive place to live that even toddlers may receive rejection letters from pre-schools, so you think they might be prepared when it comes time for choosing a...

A host of parental postings on this blog in recent weeks have included the following concern: “My child has so much homework and gets so little sleep that I feel really sorry for him/her.” Often,...

A dozen New York City high schools were awarded gold medals by US News and World Report, in its annual ranking of the 100 best high schools in the nation. Schools are ranked according to the degree...

Yesterday the Department of Education announced its  intention to close four schools it considers failing:  Maxwell High School for Career and Technical Education in Brooklyn,  the Academy of...

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the middle school fairs. Several open houses and tours later, my family is taking on the seemingly impossible task of ranking schools. Schools that I thought would be...

One day this week, my daughter brought home a book from her kindergarten class entitled "A Fine, Fine School" by Sharon Creech. It is the story of a well-meaning principal who is so proud of his...

Once you finally get passed the grueling search for a New York City public high school -- the tours, tests, interviews and rankings finally over -- a settling-in period begins. But getting...

On the soccer field last weekend, the parent of an 8th-grader casually inquired what it takes to get into one of the city's best high schools. I wanted to laugh, but that wouldn't be fair, because...