For the school year 2014/2015, the PS 8 zone “produced” 162 kindergarten applications while the PS 307 zone only “produced” 17 Kindergarteners. The PS 8 and PS 307 zones don’t only look disproportionate on the current zoning map below, they are also disproportionate for New York City standards (the PS 8 zone is one of the largest in the city and the PS 307 is one of the smallest) according to officials at the CEC 13 working session on September 1, 2015.
The team of the office of district planning presented a preliminary rezoning draft at the CEC 13 working session 9/1/15 to address the overcrowding at PS 8 and to grow enrollment at PS 307. As the map shows, DUMBO and Vinegar Hill would be rezoned for PS 307 starting in the academic year 2016 with kids applying for Kindergarten who were born in 2011.
- Old Fulton Street, Concord Village and the new development Pierhouse 1 would be zoned for PS 8
- The new zoning line would follow the Brooklyn Bridge and everything east would be zoned for PS 307
- There are no plans to add back Pre-K at PS 8, however six Pre-K classes are planed for PS 307
- All students currently enrolled at PS 8 may stay until graduation regardless of what new zone they would belong to.
- The CEC 13 has not determined yet whether siblings will be grandfathered into PS 8. It may be applicable but will delay the full effect and goals of the rezoning.
Two townhall meetings will take place during the next weeks. One at PS 307 on 9/16 at 6.30 pm and one at PS 8 on Monday, September 21, from 6:30-8 pm. A more final rezoning proposal will be discussed during the CEC September calendar meeting which will take place on September 30 at 6 pm at PS 307. It is expected that the Department of Education (DOE) will ask the CEC to vote on the DOE proposal in the fall, most likely at the October or November CEC calendar meeting. The CEC wants the rezoning to be accomplished in November so that parents applying for Kindergarten 2016/2017 will know what their new zoned school will be.
- Families affected at PS 307 and PS 8 are invited by the CEC 13 to comment on the rezoning proposal here.
- All families living in DUMBO and Vinegar Hill are also invited to answer this survey by 9/10/15. The survey was created by a task force established by Councilman Stephen Levin to get feedback from the families affected by the rezoning.
Click here to review the full presentation by the DOE.
