Building Blocks | Kindergarten Admissions

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Stacked blocks with the letters A, F, and C next to header text that reads 'Building Blocks: Tips for Supporting Preschoolers with Disabilities'

Hello,

Over the next few months, families of children born in 2020 will start to prepare for kindergarten. The transition from preschool to kindergarten for students with disabilities involves applying to kindergarten and creating the kindergarten IEP. This month's guide focuses on helping families understand and navigate these two processes.

Keep in mind that families of younger children will have a chance to apply to 3-K and Pre-K – including reapplying to your program – at the start of 2025. Learn more in our next edition!

DECEMBER 2024

Kindergarten Admissions

The New York City Department of Education’s kindergarten application is now open! All children who were born in 2020 and live in New York City are eligible to start kindergarten in September 2025. All families of children born in 2020 are encouraged to apply now, including families of students with disabilities, English Language Learners, students in temporary housing, and current pre-K students.

Families have until January 24, 2025, to apply to District 1-32 schools across all five boroughs.
Families can find a directory of District 1-32 schools on MySchools.nyc. Families can also apply to Gifted and Talented programs, Dual Language programs, and Magnet Schools using the same application.
Families cannot apply to charter schools, parochial schools, private schools, or DOE specialized schools, also known as District 75 schools, through this application.

There are three ways to apply by January 24, 2025:

Online at MySchools.nyc
Calling 718-935-2009, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Visiting a Family Welcome Center

If families have questions about the application process or need more help, they can email the DOE at ESEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov or contact a Family Welcome Center.

What happens after families submit the application?

On April 2, 2025, the DOE will send kindergarten admissions offers to all families who applied by the January 24th deadline. All families should accept the offer to the school where their child is offered a seat. If families applied to more than one school on their application, the child will be automatically placed on the waitlist for any schools the family ranked higher than the school where the child got an offer. Families can accept an offer in the spring and remain on the waitlists for schools they ranked higher.

Kindergarten IEP Process (KIP)

Please note that families of students with disabilities participate in the kindergarten admissions process in the same way as their peers without IEPs. While this process is taking place, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team will also develop a kindergarten IEP for children eligible for school-age special education services.

Do families have to request a kindergarten IEP meeting?

If a child was born in 2020 and is receiving preschool special education services, a family does not need to request a kindergarten IEP meeting. Families should receive a letter in the winter informing them that their child has been referred for school-aged special education services. The family should also receive the contact information for the DOE representative in charge of their child’s transition. If families do not receive this information by February 1st, they should contact the DOE’s Special Education Office at KindergartenIEPProcess@schools.nyc.gov or (718) 935-2007.

If a child is referred to the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) for the first time during the winter or spring of the child’s last year in preschool, we recommend that families send a separate referral letter directly to the district Committee on Special Education (CSE) office requesting kindergarten services.

When will IEP meetings take place?

Beginning in the winter, families of children with preschool IEPs will receive a notice of referral to school-age special education services and the contact information of a DOE representative. The DOE representative will contact the family and arrange new observations or evaluations if needed. The DOE representative will then schedule an IEP meeting to determine whether the child is eligible for school-age special education services and, if so, to develop the child’s kindergarten IEP. Most IEP meetings will take place from February to May. This meeting is in addition to a child’s annual preschool IEP meeting.

How can I help families through this process?

The transition to kindergarten for children with disabilities can be daunting for families. You can support them by reminding families of important deadlines (such as the kindergarten application deadline on January 24th!), checking in to make sure they receive notifications from the DOE (help them follow up with the DOE in February if they have not heard from a DOE representative), and participating in the child’s IEP meeting.

The child’s teacher is a required participant of the IEP meeting. As a provider, you are more familiar with the child than the DOE’s IEP team and can help make program and service recommendations that a child needs to learn in kindergarten. To learn more about the process and program and service options, review AFC’s Transition to Kindergarten: A Guide for Students with Disabilities.

You can also share our resources with families so that they can participate in our online webinars and access guides and informational materials that will empower them to advocate for their child throughout the process!

Have You Heard? Related Services Weekend Academy is back!

The DOE is opening After School and Weekend Academy programs again this year for families of students with disabilities who are not receiving their related services in school. These programs will be offering occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), speech-language therapy (SP), counseling (CO), and small group instruction.

The DOE will send eligible families a letter with a survey asking if they are interested in the program and listing site options. The Office of Related Services will contact families who submit the survey to confirm site preference and schedule services.

The program is expected to start in mid-December 2024. If you are in contact with a family who believes their child is eligible for weekend services and did not receive the survey to enroll, contact the DOE special education inbox specialeducation@schools.nyc.gov.

Browse previous newsletter topics ⇒

NOVEMBER 2024

Making Sure Students Receive Their Services