If your child was born in 2012, you can apply for free Pre-K for the 2016-2017 school year from January 25 to March 4, 2016 here. There are three different options for families available in our neighborhood including Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO and beyond: 1. private preschools/daycares that have been approved for Universal Pre-K, 2. zoned elementary schools and 3. un-zoned “Choice” schools.
Private Pre-K providers:
- Imagine DUMBO will offer 11 full day seats within a combined 3’s and 4’s class. They give priority to current Imagine daycare students. Last year, no new student was accepted.
- Imagine Brooklyn Heights will offer 20 full day seats. They give priority to current Imagine daycare students but they will have around 10 openings for new students in the 4’s class.
- NY Preschool Brooklyn Heights aka New York Kids Club will offer 18 full day seats. They give priority to current NY Preschool students but they will have around 5 openings for new students in the 4’s class.
“Choice” & Magnet schools:
- PS 307 in Vinegar Hill will offer 108 full day seats. PS 307 is a Magnet school for STEM studies and open to out-of-zone students. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math at the school are all encompassing, every child from Pre-K to Grade 5 is immersed in STEM studies throughout their day and within all academic subjects. The school also runs a Mandarin foreign language program starting in Pre-K. Open houses on February 5 from 9 to 10 am, February 26th from 9 to 10 am and Saturday, February 27 from 11 am to 12 noon. No need to register.
- Brooklyn New School in Carroll Gardens will offer 36 full day seats. The school is a “choice” school and gives priority to Districts 13, 14, 15 and 16. New policy: The school will give priority to children whose families qualify for free and reduced price lunch after prioritizing siblings.
- PS 133 in Park Slope will offer 80 full day seats. The school is a “choice” school and gives priority to students from Districts 13 and 15 (1/3 to District 13 and 2/3 to District 15) after prioritizing siblings. It offers French Dual Language and Spanish Dual Language programs. All students not in the dual language programs learn Spanish starting in Pre-K.
- New public Pre-K facility opening at 60 Water Street in DUMBO co-located with Satellite West Middle School in the new “Dock Street” building. This Pre-K program with 72 seats, which breaks down to 4 Pre-K classes opening up for the Fall of 2016, will be a district wide program (District 13). The DOE is in the process of recruiting a Early Childhood Program director and will host open houses during the summer. You can apply there within your Pre-K application.
Zoned schools:
- PS 29 in Cobble Hill will offer 54 full day seats for in-zone students (District 15). Siblings have priority.
- PS 261 will offer 36 full day seats for in-zone students (District 15), however they have been accepting out-of-zone students in the past. Siblings have priority.
- PS 287 in Downtown Brooklyn will offer 54 full day seats (District 13). The school accepts out-of-zone students to fill open spots.
- No Pre-K at PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights due to school overcrowding.
Full Brooklyn Pre-K directory here.
For more information about local preschools and un-zoned “choice” schools, download our exclusive school guides here!
Photo: Pre-K at PS 307 in Vinegar Hill
