Choosing the right school,

I have links and information below to help you choose the right school for your child.

Useful Resources

www.edpriorities.org

www.parentsleague.org

www.isaagny.org

www.newyorkfamily.com

www.erblearn.org

Choosing the Right School in New York City – Public vs. Private

School Choice International by Elizabeth Perelstein

Introduction:

When you move your family to New York, schooling can be one of the most important, yet complicated decisions you face.

Do you want to place your child in public or private school? And, are your wishes even attainable? All that you hear and read about schools in New York may make you want to get on the next plane home.

There are many wonderful public and private schools in New York City. At any time of year, you will have options, no matter how old your child is. Before age 4, your nursery school options will be private. In the public system, children need to be 4 years of age to attend Pre-Kindergarten.

Public Schooling:

All children are promised a space in the general education program in the public schools in NYC. Most NYC schools are zoned, which means that your family should reside within the boundaries of that particular school’s zone in order to apply. Before buying or renting an apartment, be sure that the space you have chosen truly feeds the school you want. If your local public school is full for your child’s grade, s/he might be channeled to a neighboring school. Real estate agents may not be familiar with the most recent demarcations, so contact NYC line 311 and ask for the Department of Education or visit the schools.nyc.gov.

Even if your residence is not zoned for the school that you had hoped, within a school district often more than one school offers excellent programs. Families should contact the school and ask for the Parent Coordinator to find out about school tours or open houses. The process of visiting schools will give you a much better understanding of the school. Most schools offer tours in the fall and spring. If a parent tour is available make an appointment go see the school, ask questions, and get to know other parents before you need to make a decision. Nothing substitutes for viewing a school with your own eyes.

All public schools have parent-teacher associations. Some are very active, and their support takes many forms, including fundraising and other types of parent involvement. Parents provide considerable enhancements, time, expertise and dedication in the schools. Computers, classroom teacher assistants, library books and other supplements are provided by PTA organizations in affluent communities.

Why Choose Public?

In addition to financial reasons, parents choose public schools for a multitude of reasons. These include provision of assistance for children who are English language learners, special education resources, and gifted education, all of which may be more readily available in public than in private schools. Public schools offer more socioeconomic diversity if you want to expose your children to a range of peers. Furthermore, public schools provide local communities and assure your child friends in close geographic proximity.

Private Schools:

Despite deadlines and arduous applications that are due a year in advance, there are always chance vacancies in private schools for families moving in from a new location. Just as you may be moving to New York at an odd time of year, another family will suddenly be transferred away. In addition, families look for houses in the suburbs and are willing to move precipitously when they find the right one. Or families may fall upon difficult economic times that cause them to move from private to public schools without notice.

As a result, the persistent parent can always find the right private school; you can if you are calm and patient. The trick is to have a fall-back plan, and to focus on the needs of your child rather than a particular name school. Being open minded, exploring a variety of options, will always yield unexpected results. From the Parents League of New York, a non-profit organization, to private organizations like School Choice International, there is always help available if you find the process daunting.

Why Choose Private?

Private schools offer smaller class size, making it possible for teachers to individualize instruction to a greater degree than is possible in most public schools. In addition, fee paying schools have more money for facilities improvements, as parents, (more than children) tend to be concerned about buildings and grounds. Private schools are not part of the large bureaucracy of the NYC board of education, and teachers therefore find it easier to innovate, as they are not bound to the state-level testing that restricts curriculum.

Similarly, the private school application process allows for greater flexibility than the public school programs requiring applications (Pre-K, gifted, specialized high schools). If you have a child who would benefit from one of these, the rigid application deadlines in the public system may cause latecomers to the process to choose the private sector if you can, as independent schools are willing to consider late applicants when they have chance vacancies. However, if you need financial aid, private school may not be feasible, as all financial aid is distributed during the regular private school process.

How to Decide?

There are pros and cons to each alternative, but your family has to choose what is best for your children from among the available options.

Make a list of what is important to you and your child

Identify the unique characteristics of your child

Take into account logistical factors such as cost, location, space availability

Do your homework – learn about the schools first hand, not only from friends and colleagues

Visit all school options by booking a school tour or open house

If it is not possible to get an appointment, be there at drop off and pick up to see other parents and ask questions, and request names of current parents to speak with

Be sure to compare alternatives, be open minded, and, most importantly, persist.

Next issue: Public and Private Deadlines for Applications

When moving into New York, or even moving to a new location within the city, the maze of school options available to a family, within the public sector alone, can be daunting. What follows is a basic roadmap to the application processes and timetables for NYC public schools at all grade levels, for all populations of children.

Nursery and Pre-Kindergarten:

With the exception of schools for children with special needs, nursery schools for children under 4 are private in New York City. Not all public schools have pre-K programs, so those who want to enroll 4 year olds must consider schools outside their neighborhood and go through an application process.

Timetable:

Process for pre-K (4-year old) applications begins in March

Families receive acceptance from Office of Student Enrollment by May

Second round deadline in July

Notes:

Pre-K places available for children age 4 by December 31
Availability for all children whose parents submit in a timely manner
First choice not guaranteed

Elementary Education:

Most elementary school students attend neighborhood schools. Families new to the area may register at their local school. Dialing 311 will provide an answer for any families unsure in which school zone they reside. As zones may change due to restrictions on capacity (fire codes, space) always be sure to check current zoning

To register at public school, family requires verifiable proof of home address including a utility bill (gas, electric, or water), a deed to a house, a statement from an employer, community-based organization or a religious institution. If a parent is subletting an apartment or home an affidavit from the leaseholder or homeowner is required. A telephone bill or driver’s license is not acceptable proof of address, nor is a lease by itself.

There are several educational programs that may be considered outside one’s neighborhood that require an application.

Charter schools:

There are 60, and an increasingly growing number, of charter schools, designed to bring innovative leaders and resources to the public schools. Enrollment by lottery with preference to siblings

Gifted Programs:

Gifted and Talented programs operate under two different models – either a self-contained classroom, in which like students are taught together in all subject areas, or a school wide enrichment model in which enrichment resources, acceleration is offered and groupings are determined according to content area.

Timetable:

Public Gifted and Talented Schools and Classrooms require a request for testing in December. Final deadline is mid-January

Hunter College operates a school for academically and intellectually gifted children; the only entry point is Kindergarten.

Hunter Elementary School applications are mailed beginning September for the next year and must be submitted by mid November. Parents arrange first round of testing after applications are submitted and second round takes place at the end of January at the school

Notes:

English Language Learners are supported in one of three different models depending on level of English proficiency.

Special education support is provided, by law, in the least restrictive environment. When district resources cannot meet a child’s needs, services are provided where they are available.

Secondary Education:

In addition to local public high schools, there are nine specialized high schools in New York City. Entrance is determined on the basis of examination or audition.

Bronx High School of Science
Stuyvesant High School
Staten Island Technical High School
The Brooklyn Latin School
Brooklyn Technical High School
Queens High School for the Sciences at York College
High School of American Studies at Lehman College
High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (LaGuardia High School)

Hunter College High School and Bard High School Early College are two additional public specialized schools with competitive admissions processes; they are not run by the Board of Education

Finally, the Board of Education operates charter schools, career and technical schools, small schools of approximately 500 students, as well as small learning communities.

Timetable:

The special schools’ admissions test is administered during the last week of October for 8^{th graders and first week of November for 9th graders}

Offers for specialized schools are sent out in February

A make-up date is scheduled for latecomers to the city and those who were unable to take the exam. Call the school for the date

Bard High School Early College requires that students go through the regular Department of Education ranking process as well as their own process with a deadline of October 31

Hunter College High School has its own admissions testing process which is published in June each year on its website for the following academic year’s cycle. The only entry point for HCHS is grade 7

Notes:

For admission to specialized high schools, students must rank their top 8 choices. These are considered in order of student preference, ranked against others who choose the same schools as their first choice. The lowest score of an admitted student (determined by number of available places) becomes the cut-off score.
Aside from the specialized high schools, students must rank their 12 top high schools, and have 3 rounds to determine which school they will actually attend. Every student will have a match by the end of the final round.

Special Education:

By law, a child with special needs is eligible for testing and to receive publicly funded services even before his/her 3rd birthday. Districts must provide schooling and related services, plus transportation, even if they are only available outside the home district.

Under the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 in the United States, students with disabilities have equal right to free and appropriate public education (FAPE). Every student should receive services tailored to his or her individual needs through an Individual Educational Plan (IEP). Each child is offered unique services, in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), or, to the extent possible, within the context of the general education classroom, curriculum, and mainstream students.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, parents have right to choose the appropriate educational setting for their child. If parents are not satisfied with current education and services their child is receiving they have a right to request a private school program and seek tuition reimbursement from their home district, which would be responsible for private school tuition, if it is proven that the public school cannot provide a free and appropriate education to the child.

The NYC Board of Education serves students with special needs ranging from mild to the most severe. In keeping with LRE, most are enrolled in "general education" schools, attending classes with students who do not have disabilities. In some cases, these students are in "Collaborative Team Teaching" classrooms, in which two teachers (general education teacher and special education) work with special and mainstream students together in a single class. When indicated by a student’s IEP, a special education student will attend self-contained special education classes in general education schools. There also are special schools available for students whose challenges cannot be addressed within mainstream schools.

New York City Private Schools

by Liz Perelstein and Angela Peng

School Choice International

Introduction

New York parents, like parents in any major metropolis, take their children’s education very seriously. With the city’s changing demographics, availability of places at all levels of education has become increasingly competitive. In many neighborhoods, public schools are excellent, but families choose private schools for many reasons including the needs of their individual children, family history, flexibility about moving to new housing without changing schools as their family needs change, as well as status. For first time participants in the New York City private school application process, the experience can come as quite a shock. Researching, applying to, and competing for space at New York City private schools can seem an overwhelming process unless a parent has been well informed and well prepared.

It is ideal to apply to schools during the regular admissions cycle. Families who have the luxury of applying in the fall for the following September have the greatest number of school options, particularly if they are applying for an entry level year. However, for families applying at non-entry level grades, and even those applying mid-year, there will be occasional chance vacancies. Depending on the school, the first entry point may be at pre-school or Kindergarten; middle school may begin at either grade 6 or 7; high school is the only entry point where the grade is fixed at 9^{th grade.}

Remember that families move away from New York unexpectedly just as they do from any other major city. Parents with reasonable expectations, whose children have strong academic backgrounds, have the best chance of a successful application outside the regular admissions cycle. If children are not as strong there also will be places, but parents must be realistic about who their children are, and which schools will be a good fit – either today or at any time.

Application Process

Although entry level grades have the greatest number of places available, admission for these is also most competitive. Other grades have fewer places but also fewer applicants, so families should not be discouraged from applying to non-traditional grades. When a place is available during off-years, the probability of acceptance is significantly higher.

In NYC, the private school application process consists of three steps, a tour, a parent interview, and child playgroup or interview, depending on the age of the child. Attending an additional open house is optional. The silver lining of this time-consuming process is that families inevitably learn a great deal about schools by seeing them in various different contexts. The process should be viewed as an opportunity to gather information to make the right match for a child, not simply to "get in." Although all schools put their "best foot forward" at each of these events, they do reveal their values and philosophies, so parents should be attuned and take note. Private school places will be full by the parent reply deadline, which is in mid-March. However, chance vacancies will become available throughout the summer as a result of attrition by families whose plans change.

Nursery Schools

Most applications are available Tuesday to Thursday after Labor Day. The parent will have to call schools for applications for the following September. Often parents apply to eight to ten nursery schools. Many of the applications are distributed by lottery once the school has been contacted. Acceptances are mailed late in February, and parents must reply by mid-March.

Kindergarten to Grade 5

Applications are made a year in advance for a full year’s school commitment. All schools have admissions calendars posted on their websites. Until recently, deadlines were in December, but gradually some have inched up to mid-November. It is important to check deadlines with the schools of choice, as some distribute all applications even before that date. Supporting materials (teacher recommendations and test results) may arrive by January 15. Many schools begin touring prospective families the previous spring. For kindergarten to Grade 1, the decision date is February 15th and for Grade 2- 8, the decision date is February 6th for admission for the 2009-10 academic year. Parents must reply by February 27th.

High Schools

As the majority of private lower schools in the NY metropolitan area end after grades 8 or 9, parents typically feel quite pressured as the middle school years come to a close. However, the availability of wonderful public high schools offset the reduced number of places in private high schools. Today’s parents do not, but should, feel comforted by this fact, but most private school parents are not attuned to schools in the public sector, and peer pressure keeps them predominantly focused on private schools.

The private high school application timetable parallels that of private elementary and middle schools. Applications must be in by late fall, and, during the current academic year, students are notified of acceptances between February 13th to 27th. Families must respond by March 13th. Please note that grade 12 is an inhospitable private school entry year. Schools are worried about students beginning the college application process unknown to guidance counselors and just getting acclimated to a new school.

Testing

ECEE, (colloquially known as the ERB) Grades Pre-K-5

Early Childhood Entrance Exam is an IQ test that covers grades K-5, although some ongoing schools require it for pre-k. It is necessary to check with the schools on an individual basis to determine if the ECEE is necessary, although in almost all cases, it is. The ECEE must be taken in New York City. Tests are difficult to schedule, and this should be the first step in the private school search process.

In the early years (pre-K to grade 2), ECEE is a one on one test with a psychologist that lasts anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes; the older children (grades 3-5) have a one hour assessment followed by a 40 minute reading comprehension test administered in a small group setting. During the individual assessment, children will be asked to work with mazes and puzzles, and will be asked questions about things they encounter in daily living, rather than reading or mathematics that can be practiced.

ISEE Grade 5-12

The ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) is administered by the ERB. Unlike ECEE, it is possible to prepare for the ISEE test. Practice tests are available on the ERB test site. Cracking the ISEE and SSAT published by Princeton Review is a good resource, and students commonly prepare for this test. Although preparation using the book is sufficient, many New York City parents arrange for their children to be tutored.

The ISEE has three levels: The lower level test is for students currently in grades four and five who are candidates for admission to grades five and six. Although the ISEE is given for entrance to grade 5, most schools prefer that applicants take an ECEE, or ERB test at this grade level. Parents should check with their preferred schools before scheduling the test. The middle level, is administered for students currently in grades six and seven who are candidates for admission to grades seven and eight, and an upper level exam is given for students currently in grades eight to eleven who are candidates for admission to grades nine to twelve. The tests last about three hours long, which does not include the two scheduled breaks and time for reading directions. For a family moving mid-year, it is essential to check with the school whether the child should be taking the test for entry into the current test, or the test for the following year.

SSAT Grade 6-12

The SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) is more commonly used for boarding schools admissions, or admissions in cities other than New York. New York schools to use the ISEE, but may accept it under some circumstances. If the SSAT is more convenient, check with each school individually if it will be accepted. Cracking the ISEE and SSAT published by Princeton Review is a good resource, and students should prepare for this test.

For more information regarding testing schedule and fee, please visit Educational Records Bureau at ^{http://www.erbtest.org/}

Goodness of Fit

While there is no question that you should always present your child in the best possible light, pretending that he or she is cleverer, more sporting, more musical or more arty than what he or she really is does no one, especially your child, any favor in the long run. Also, keep in mind that a considerable amount of thought and care goes into the selection of, not only a particular child, but also a composite class. Balance of gender, age, ability, talents and diversity all are taken into consideration to ensure the class functions as successfully as possible. Your child may be ideal in every way but another child might have just the characteristic that is missing and will be selected over your child. That does not mean there is anything wrong with your child, just that for that class at that time, the other child was a better fit.

Find the right school for your child, and do not get caught up with the idea of the best or worst schools. The best school is the one that works for your child, and conversely the worst school for your child may be the one that is best for another child. Trust the process and your child will get a place in the school that is right for him or her. Families who are patient and open minded will end up with schools which suit their children.

School Fees

New York School fees are paid on an annual basis with about a third due in the summer before the academic year begins and the balance in December or January of the academic year. Accepting a place at a school is binding for the year if you choose a school that is a member of the Independent Schools Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY). You are contracted to pay the fee for the whole year. It is important to know this because you cannot accept a place at one school while waiting for a place at another school and then decline the original contract when a place comes free. You will have to pay the entire year’s school fees for both schools, if indeed the second school will honor its offer if administrators are aware that you are under contract to another school. It is strictly against ISAAGNY riles for a school to accept a child who has committed to another member school.

^{www.SchoolChoiceIntl.com}

www.SchoolChoiceIntl.com

Nelson Aybar is a licensed New York State Real Estate Salesperson affiliated with Charles and Rutenberg LLC as the Broker