Photo: According to the Mayor’s Office, more than 20,000 Queens children have signed up for free, full-day pre-K. Courtesy of Rob Bennett/Mayoral Photography Office.
More than 20,000 borough children applied for free, full-day pre-K during the first round of admissions that closed last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday.
As of last Friday, 20,670 Queens students have applied to the program; second only to Brooklyn, with 21,500 signing up in the first round. A total of 68,849 children across the city have applied to the pre-K program, now in its second year.
The Department of Education will now match 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 first time, there will be a free, full-day pre-K seat waiting for every 4-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,” de Blasio said. “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.
By Michael V. Cusenza michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
