NYC pre-K and 3-K applications are open: 7 things to know before you apply - SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City has opened up applications for free, all-day pre-K and 3-K for the 2023-2024 school year.

The programs, which provide free, full-day care and education, are part of a broader effort to create more high-quality early care and education programs for children from birth to 5 years old.

Here are seven things to know before you apply.

Who can apply?

3-K

In New York City, you can apply to 3-K in the calendar year that your child turns 3, according to the city Department of Education (DOE).

Seats are limited and residents of school districts offering 3-K for All programs have priority to attend programs in their own district. Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, 3-K for All programs are offered in all 32 schools districts. There is a 3-K seat for every 3-year-old in Staten Island's District 31, which encompasses the entire borough.

Pre-K

In New York City, children begin pre-K in the calendar year they turn 4, or children born in 2019. There is a pre-K seat for every 4-year-old across all five boroughs, according to the DOE.

The city welcomes all children of this age to participate in pre-K admissions: current 3-K students at public district schools, Pre-K Centers, and NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs); current students in 3-year-old programs at charter schools, private schools, parochial schools, or other preschools; children with disabilities; children with accessibility needs; children learning English; children in temporary housing; LGBTQ and gender non-conforming children; and children who are new to NYC public schools. Children do not need to be toilet trained to attend pre-K.

How do I apply?

You can apply to both 3-K and pre-K in one of three ways:

• Online with MySchools.nyc.
• By phone at 718-935-2009. Call Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Contact a Family Welcome Center. Learn how at schools.nyc.gov/FWC.

The online application is available in 10 languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Urdu and French), and families can submit an application over the phone in over 200 languages.

What are the different types of settings for 3-K?

There are four types of settings for 3-K programs. According to the DOE, you can choose to apply to programs in one setting or across two, three, or all four settings. Each setting offers the same DOE high-quality, play-based curriculum to New York City's 3-year-old children.

• NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs): These are community-based organizations with early childhood expertise. They partner with the DOE to provide 3-K programs. Consider NYC Early Education Centers if your child currently attends the center, has a sibling also attending the program, or your family receives social services from the organization that runs the center. Some NYC Early Education Centers also offer up to 10 hours of 3-K programming, all year round for families that qualify.
• District Schools. Some DOE public elementary schools offer 3-K programs. Consider this option if your child has an older sibling already attending the school, or you want your child to attend a program in an elementary school setting.
• Pre-K Centers. Pre-K Centers are run by DOE staff and only offer grades before kindergarten. Consider Pre-K Centers if you want your child to attend a 3-K program with only young children. These are DOE early childhood centers that only offer grades below kindergarten.
• Family Child Care (Home-Based Programs). Home-based programs, also known as family child-care programs, offer 3-K in a home setting by a licensed, qualified provider. In this setting, 3-K children are served in mixed-age groups with other children from birth to 3 years old.

What are the different types of settings for pre-K?

There are three types of settings for pre-K programs. You can choose to apply to programs in one, two, or all three settings. Each setting offers the same DOE high-quality, play-based curriculum to New York City's 4-year-old children.

• NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs). These are community-based organizations with early childhood expertise. They partner with the DOE to provide pre-K programs. Consider NYC Early Education Centers if your child currently attends the center, has a sibling also attending the program, or your family receives social services from the organization that runs the center. Some NYC Early Education Centers also offer up to 10 hours of pre-K programming, all year round for families that qualify.
• District Schools. Some public elementary schools offer pre-K programs. Consider these DOE public schools if your child currently attends 3-K at the school, has an older sibling already attending the school or you want your child to attend a program in an elementary school setting.
• Pre-K Centers. Pre-K Centers are run by DOE staff and only offer grades before kindergarten. Consider Pre-K Centers if your child currently attends 3-K at the Pre-K Center, or you want your child to attend a program with only young children.

What are the different seat types?

There are three 3-K and pre-K seat types: School Day, Extended Day and Year, and Head Start. A 3-K program may offer one, two, or all three of these seat types. You can learn which programs offer which seat types in MySchools. Different seat types have different eligibilities, so check to make sure you are applying to the correct seat type(s).

• School Day seats are open to all NYC children born in 2020. These seats are free and provide early care and education for six hours and 20 minutes per day during the school year, typically from September to June.
• Extended Day and Year seats are free or low-cost and provide care for up to 10 hours of early care and education a day, year-round, including the summer. Eligibility for these seats is based on family income and needs. If you receive an offer to an Extended Day and Year seat, you will need to confirm your child's eligibility by completing a Child Care application.
• Head Start seats are free and provide 10 hours of early care and education a day, year-round. Eligibility for Head Start is based on family income and needs. If you receive an offer to a Head Start seat, the program will work with you to confirm your child's eligibility.

When are the deadlines?

The deadline to apply to 3-K and pre-K is March 10.

When will I get an offer letter?

Pre-K and 3-K admissions are not first-come, first-served. All applications submitted online or by phone by the deadline are treated the same based on admissions priorities.

Families who submit an application by the deadline will receive an offer in the spring.

Programs use waitlists to fill open seats after offers are made. This means your child will be automatically added to the waitlist for any program you ranked higher on your pre-K application than the program where your child got an offer.

You also have the option of adding your child to additional program waitlists. Programs will contact you directly if they are able to offer your child a seat from the waitlist.

Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for more information on enrolling to these programs.

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