Discontinued by the previous mayor and relaunched by the new mayor, G&T applications will be opening on May 31st for students entering Kindergarten to 3th Grade, regardless of where or if they go to school in NYC as long they reside in NYC. The eligibility varies for the various programs, however no tests to enter the program will be administered. The eligibility will be defined by teachers and current grades for district and city-wide programs. The Department of Education expects more demand for the seats available due to the fact that the tests have been discontinued. A placement in a G&T program is not guaranteed (if there are more applicants than seats siblings get priority and then a lottery). A new 3rd Grade G&T program is launching in the fall in each District which will only run from 3rd to 5th Grade with brand new students in a G&T program (new entry level for a whole class).
There is no official standardized curriculum available by the Department of Education for Gifted and Talented programs. How the program is structured depends on the principal, teacher and the program at each individual school. In some programs children work at faster pace i.e. Kindergarten doing 1st Grade work, some schools have a separate curriculum and some dive deeper into subjects of the current grade depending on the school. There is no standardized curriculum for G&T. However, there is a different certification for teachers to teach G&T classrooms.
Even though the application opens May 31st, the Department of Education has already announced that letters from the teachers for students qualifying for the programs will arrive later than May 31. Families are encouraged to fill out an application online already even if they have not received a letter yet (eligibility will be confirmed later). Log into your myschools.nyc account and list up to 12 programs. It is not a first come first serve process and you have time to fill out the application and make changes until June 13. Results will be available in late July.
G&T programs with entry from Kindergarten to 3rd Grade:
- For children entering kindergarten this fall (born in 2017), eligibility is determined based on nominations by their current pre-K teachers or DOE Early Childhood Education staff. Families may receive a letter inviting them to complete an evaluation and/or apply.
- For children entering Grade 1, 2, or 3 this fall, eligibility is determined by applicants’ report card grades.
- For current DOE public school students, no further action to determine eligibility is needed, just apply.
- For current charter and private school students, work with a Family Welcome Center to submit your child’s grades by July 1
New 3rd Grade programs:
- These NEW programs–one in each NYC school district–serve eligible children from third through fifth grade. Children enter these programs in grade 3, so current grade 2 students can apply. Eligibility for these seats is determined by students’ grades.
- Current DOE public school students are eligible for these programs if their grades are in the top 10% of their current school. These students will receive invitations to apply.
- Current charter and private school applicants’ eligibility will be determined after they apply. Work with a Family Welcome Center to submit your child’s grades by July 1.
The list of schools offering district-wide G&T programs in District 15 (entering K to 3):
- PS 32 in Carroll Gardens
- PS 38 in Downtown Brooklyn
- PS 230 in Windsor Terrace
The list of schools offering district-wide G&T programs in District 13 (entering K to 3):
- PS 56 in Clinton Hill
- PS 282 in Park Slope
New 3rd Grade program by invitation only:
- PS 24 in Sunset Park in District 15
- PS 287 in Downtown Brooklyn in District 13
Bussing may be available but is not guaranteed. Citywide G&T programs (the whole school offers only G&T classrooms) include Nest+m and Brooklyn School of Inquiry. Find out more here.
