PRE-K IN DEMAND

THE CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

NEW YORK, NY 10007 

PRE-K IN DEMAND: 68,849 CHILDREN APPLY FOR FREE, FULL-DAY, HIGH-QUALITY PRE-K IN FIRST ROUND OF ADMISSIONS

NEW YORK—Nearly 69,000 children applied for free, full-day, high-quality pre-K during the first round of admissions that closed on Friday, showing tremendous demand from parents in the second year of pre-K expansion. Enrollment specialists worked right up to the midnight deadline helping families find the right programs and assisting them through the application process.

The Department of Education will now begin the work of matching children to individual programs. Parents will receive offers in June, and have the option of accepting their offer or continuing their search. When school opens in September, for the very first time, there will be a free, full-day, high-quality pre-K seat waiting for every four-year old who applies. More than 75,000 seats are currently offered in the official Pre-K Directory.

“This is big! Every one of these applications means a child put on a path for success for school and beyond. We worked hard to reach parents in parks, at barbershops and at beauty salons. We worked the phones, promoted pre-K online and knocked on doors. And it was all worth the energy and effort,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We made Pre-K for All the centerpiece of our fight against inequality. And come September, our vision of free, full-day, high-quality pre-K for every child will become reality.”

Families that did not apply during the first round will have additional opportunities later in the process, and are encouraged to call 311 or visit nyc.gov/prek to find information on when to apply next.

Demand for full-day pre-K was high across every borough:

Borough figures reflect applicants’ borough by residence.

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