All students are guaranteed a seat at their neighborhood (or zoned) elementary school, and many districts have zoned middle and high schools. If the elementary, middle and high schools to which your family is zoned are satisfactory, you are lucky and do not have to become involved in the New York City public school admissions process. If you do not like your zoned school or live in a district without a zoned middle or high school, New York City has the most extensive school choice system in the United States with over 1,800 public schools in which there are many great schools available that will meet your children’s and family’s needs. To help you navigate the admissions process, call 311 or contact or visit a family welcome center near your home to learn about the educational options available to your family.
The Bronx
The Bronx school system is divided into six districts. Although there are some very good schools—particularly new alternative schools—most of the schools in the Bronx are poor, suffering from low test scores, attendance and graduation rates as well as high teacher and principal turnover. There are some very good schools in Riverdale and City Island, but most affluent parents send their children to schools in the Manhattan or to local private schools. To learn more about your children's educational options, please visit one of the following welcome centers run by the New York City's Department of Education.
For districts 7, 9 and 10
Fordham Family Welcome Center, 1 Fordham Plaza, Bronx NY 10458: Phone: 718-329-8050
District 7 Resource Center, 501 Courtlandt Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451: Phone: 718-742-6594
For Districts 8, 11 and 12
Zerega Family Welcome Center, 1230 Zerega Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462: Phone: 718-828-7546
Staten Island
District 31 serves all of the students in Staten Island. Since many of the Island’s inhabitants are conservative, it is not surprising that most of the schools are traditional, emphasizing the basic skills; however, that style of teaching is slowly changing as innovation and progressive teaching strategies are being introduced. With the increased number of inhabitants, schools on the shore are becoming over crowded, forcing some students to attend the smaller mid-island schools. To learn more about your children's educational options, please visit the following welcome center run by the New York City's Department of Education.
Petrides Family Welcome Center, 715 Ocean Terrace, Building A, Staten Island, NY 10301: Phone: 718-420-5617
Queens is the size of Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn combined, and more than 100 languages are spoken in the borough today due to the large number of immigrants who decided to reside there. Unfortunately, the City was not able to construct enough schools to accommodate all of the residents, resulting in severe overcrowding at some schools. Fortunately, an increasing number of charter schools as well as gifted and talented programs have emmerged to provide parents a choice if they are unsatisfied with their neighborhood school.
To learn more about your children's educational options, please visit one of the following Family Welcome Centers.
Districts 27, 28 and 29
Sutphin Family Welcome Center, 90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, 1st Floor, Jamaica, NY 11435: Phone: 718-557-2547
Districts 25 and 26
Linden Family Welcome Center, 30-48 Linden Place, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11354: Phone: 718-281-3422
Districts 24 and 30
Queens Plaza North Family Welcome Center, 28-11 Queens Plaza North, 3rd Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: 718-391-6270
Please click on the following link to learn about the differences among the pubilc school by district in Queens.
Brooklyn is home to schools with a wide array of educational philosophies and acadmic performance. One can find truly wonderful schools as well as schools with a long history of poor leadership and performance; however, the quality of schools has improved over the years and a number of choice options are available for parents living in neighborhoods with poor schools. The Brooklyn school system is divided into 12 districts.
To learn more about your children's educational options, please visit one of the following Family Welcome Centers.
Districts 14, 19, 23 and 32
St. Marks Family Welcome Center, 1665 St Marks Avenue, Room 116, Brooklyn, NY 11233: Phone: 718-240-3609
Districts 16, 17, 18 and 22
Ocean Family Welcome Center, 1780 Ocean Avenue, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11230: Phone: 718-758-7744
Districts 13, 15, 20 and 21
89th Street Family Welcome Center, 415 89th Street, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11209: Phone: 718-759-3900, option #4
Please click on the following link to learn more about the differences among the public schools by district in Brooklyn.
The quality of the public schools in Manhattan varies widely by district. Moreover, the complexity of the admissions process differs by school district. For example, District 2 has a great number of terrific zoned middle schools in which parents who live in that neighborhood can simply register for the spring. Although Disctrict 3 has some of the best middle schools in the City, there are no zoned schools and parents must apply to six middle schools--a process which may include school tours, student and parent interviews, entrance exams and even auditions.
Districts 1, 2 and 4
333 7th Avenue Family Welcome Center, 333 Seventh Avenue, 12th Floor, Room 1211, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 917-339-1763
Districts 3, 5 and 6
Morningside Family Welcome Center, 123 Morningside Drive, Room 235, New York, NY 10027: Phone: 332-228-0312
Please click on the following link to learn about the differences among the public schools in the six districts in Manhattan.