Public and private schools vary in size. Charter schools and schools-within-schools tend to be smaller than traditional public schools. While class size in private schools tends to be small, the size of the school’s 

Some 

Standardized test scores provide a consistent way to compare children, classrooms or schools to others within a school, district, city or state. These exams are one measure of what students have learned in their core academic subjects at a given period of time and can be extremely helpful to parents when they are deciding among a group of schools. However, standardized test scores can also be misleading.

To remain competitive, schools are spending an increasing amount of their budgets on technology. Even elementary school students are becoming familiar with computers and the internet. In fact, some schools provide each student with a laptop which they bring to school each day.

Why choose a 

Special Education is defined by law as “specifically designed instruction that meets the unique needs of a child with a 

The New York City progress report provides a number of measures of teacher quality, including the percent of teachers with a doctorate, the percent of teachers teaching in their area of certification and the number of teachers with more than three years of teaching experience. In fact, we have included these measures on our school profiles and comparison charts to allow parents to compare various measures of teacher quality.

Why choose a gifted and talented program? The gifted and talented programs often teach material that is one or two years above the student's grade level and are available to students who perform exceptionally well on standardized tests, interviews or auditions. Students are selected to enter kindergarten through 2nd grade G&T classes based on their performance on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) and the Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA).

Many parents worry about the entrance exams that their 4 year olds are required to take to enroll in New York City private and selective public elementary schools. Fortunately, the best ways to prepare your child for these standardized exams are fun. The following activities help children improve their intellectual skills as well as prepare them for the test itself.