NYC Kindergarten Applications Close Tuesday: Here's What To Know

NEW YORK — New York City's next kindergartners have several months before school starts but not much longer to make sure they get a seat. Tuesday, Jan. 22 is the last day for parents of kids who turn 5 this year to submit an application for kindergarten in the city's public schools, according to the Department of Education. The deadline was extended from Jan. 14.

Applications for the 2019-2020 school year are now open for children born in 2014. Parents can apply to as many as 12 schools that interest them, though the DOE says they will have priority at their zoned school.

Parents can look for schools using the DOE's MySchools platform. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson recently launched a new tool called School Explorer to help parents compare schools based on factors such as test scores, enrollment and facilities. And the data analysis website Localize.city has tools that help parents evaluate schools in their neighborhoods.

Kindergarten has been mandatory for all New York City 5-year-olds since 2013. There were more than 81,500 kindergartners enrolled in city schools in the 2017-18 school year, DOE figures show.

Kindergarten applications can be submitted online, over the phone or in person at one of the DOE's Family Welcome Centers. Parents can find a list of welcome center locations here.

(Lead image: The actress Fatima Ptacek reads to a kindergarten class at PS 111 in Manhattan on March 1, 2013 in New York City. Photo by Luke Fontana/Screen Actors Guild Foundation via Getty Images)