The Department of Education is rolling out its free child care program for 3 year olds this fall in four more districts including Williamsburg but has not announced any plans to offer 3-K in District 13 or 15. District 13 includes Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, parts of Bed Stuy and Downtown Brooklyn and Prospect Heights. District 15 includes Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Park Slope, Red Hook, Sunset Park and parts of Downtown Brooklyn. The below timeline brings the new program to a total of 16 districts and up to 26,000 three year olds per year. These districts were selected based on need and space availability.
- 2017-18: District 7 (South Bronx) and District 23 (Brownsville)
- 2018-19: District 4 (East Harlem), District 5 (Harlem), District 16 (Bedford-Stuyvesant), and District 27 (Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Rockaways)
- 2019-20: District 6 (Washington Heights and Inwood), District 8 (Country Club, Pelham Bay, Throgs Neck, Castle Hill, Soundview, Hunts Point), District 9 (Grand Concourse, Highbridge, Morrisania), District 19 (East New York), District 31 (Staten Island), and District 32 (Bushwick)
- 2020-21: District 1 (Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side), District 12 (Central Bronx), District 14 (Greenpoint, Williamsburg), and District 29 (Cambria Heights, Hollis, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans)
3-K programs will be offered at public elementary schools, public Pre-K centers, NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs) and home-based programs. In a typical classroom day, preschoolers will learn in many different ways, including:
- Short whole group and small group activities
- Choice time where they are able to work with a variety of materials
- Outdoor playtime
- Rest/naptime
- Meal and snack time
The application for 3-K for children born in 2017 will be open until Friday, April 24 and it is not a first come first serve process. Apply here if you live in a District that offers the program.
We are hosting an info session for families considering preschool and daycare in Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, BoCoCa, Fort Greene and Downtown Brooklyn on 3/11 at 6.30 pm. We will cover everything you need to know about local preschools, daycare options, programs, application details and deadlines, waitlists, free universal Pre-K options, languages and more. This event is geared towards parents with children born in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The following preschools/daycares will be attending the event and the Q&A: Brooklyn Preschool of Science, Brooklyn Explorers Academy, The Blue School, Building Bridges Preschool, Whittle School and Guidepost Montessori School. RSVP here.
