Public School Enrollement

Family Welcome Centers

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If you are new to New York City, Family Welcome Center staff members are available to

help you with the NYC public schools enrollment process. Click here for locations.

Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) Enrollment

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If your child turned or is turning four years old this calendar year, you may be able to

enroll them into New York City’s free pre-kindergarten, depending on availability at

participating programs.

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To find a pre-kindergarten program near you and to enroll: 

click here, text “prek”to 877877, or call 311 and ask about pre-kindergarten.

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Elementary and Middle School Enrollment

All students in grades K–8 can be enrolled in just a few steps.

1. Find Your Zoned School

• A zoned school is a neighborhood school for all students who live in a designated area

and is determined by your home address.

• Find a zoned school by entering your home address in the school search tool or calling 311. All enrollment materials are available in English and Spanish, and 311 can provide over-the-phone interpretation services in over 200 languages.

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• If there is no zoned school for the address given, you can visit a Family Welcome

Center with the required documentation (see required

documentation list below). A counselor will place your child at the closest school

to your home that has available seats.

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2. Go to the Zoned or Assigned School to Enroll

• Go to the zoned school or the school to which your child has been assigned by the

Enrollment Office.

• You should be sure to bring the required documentation, if available (see required

documentation below).

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What to Bring and Required Documents

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You should bring the following documentation and proof of residency with you when

enrolling your child in a NYC public school. If you do not have all of the required documents,

you still have the right to enroll your child in school. After enrollment, the school can help

locate the appropriate records and refer your child for immunization.

You should bring your child with you when registering.

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Documents:

• Child’s birth certificate or passport as proof of age

• Immunization records (see page 28 for more information about immunizations)

• Latest report card/transcript (if available)

• Individualized Education Program (IEP) and/or 504 Accommodation Plan (if applicable

and available)

• Required proof of NYC residence (any two of the following):

- Utility bill (gas or electric) for the residence issued by National Grid (formerly

Keyspan), Con Edison, or the Long Island Power Authority (for the Rockaways);

must be dated within the past 60 days

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- Water bill for the residence; must be dated within the past 90

days

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- Original lease agreement, deed, or mortgage statement for the residence

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- If the caretaker is not the leaseholder of the residence, you must submit a Residency

Affidavit (ask a school employee for the form)

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- Current property tax bill for the residence

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- Official payroll document from an employer (example: payroll receipt); must be dated

within the past 60 days

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- Document or letter from a federal, state, or local government agency indicating the

resident’s name and address (examples: IDNYC, document from Internal Revenue

Service (IRS), City Housing Authority, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS);

must be dated within the past 60 days)

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High School Enrollment

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All new students in grades 9-12 must register at a Family Welcome Center (locations can be found here). An enrollment counselor will help you find a school for your child. High schools in New York City are not zoned, so enrollment follows a different process than the one mentioned above for elementary and middle schools.

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Students ages 17-21 who have recently arrived in the United States are eligible for traditional

schooling as well as alternative schools and programs, such as Pathways to Graduation through the Department of Education’s District 79.

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Families may visit Referral Centers for High School Alternatives to learn about alternative high school options, More information is available here.

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High School Equivalency Diploma

All New Yorkers 19 years of age or older who do not have a high school diploma can take

a test to receive a High School Equivalency Diploma (formerly called GED). The test, called

TASC, is free of charge to all New Yorkers and is offered in English and Spanish. For more

information about how to take this test, click here.

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The New York City Department of Education offers free TASC preparation courses. Students

ages 17–21 may enroll in Pathways to Graduation, a full-time high school equivalency

program that provides instruction in all five sections of the TASC (reading, writing, math,

science, and social studies.) Pathways to Graduation also offers ESL and Spanish bilingual

instruction, college and career planning support, and paid internship opportunities. Eligible

students may enroll in the Pathways to Graduation program by visiting one of the Referral

Centers for High School Alternatives.

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Click here for the list of Referral Centers.

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English Language Learners Education

An English Language Learner, or ELL, is a student whose native language is not English and

needs support learning English. Children enrolled in public schools who are identified as

ELL are entitled to an education that fits their needs.

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The Department of Education offers three program types to support English Language Learners:

• English as a Second Language (ESL) is offered at every NYC DOE public school and provides instruction in English emphasizing English language acquisition.

• Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs are designed so that students develop

conceptual skills in their native language as they learn English. TBE programs include an

ESL component and instruction in both the native language and English.

• Dual Language (DL) programs serve both ELLs in need of English language development and monolingual English-speaking students who are interested in learning a second language.

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For additional information and for help enrolling a child in these services, contact the

Department of English Language Learners and Student Support at (212) 374-6072 or by emailing dells@schools.nyc.gov

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After School, Community Service, and Recreational Opportunities

The NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) supports New York

City youth and their families by funding a wide range of high-quality youth and community

development programs, including:

• The Comprehensive After School System Of NYC (COMPASS NYC)

• Beacon Community Centers

• Cornerstone Community Centers

• Fatherhood Initiative

• Immigration Services

• Jobs And Internships For Youth

• Literacy Programs For Adults And Adolescents

• Runaway And Homeless Youth Services

• Summer Youth Employment Program

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To learn more about these programs or to find one in your community, click here, or call (800) 246-4646, Monday through Friday, for help in over 200 languages.

College | University

If you have lived in New York for at least a year and are an immigrant with permanent or

temporary lawful immigration status (including naturalized citizens, green card holders,

refugees, asylees, U and T visa holders, and more) or a recipient of Deferred Action for

Childhood Arrivals (DACA), you are eligible for in-state tuition at City University of New

York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) colleges and universities.

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If you are undocumented, you may be eligible to pay in-state tuition at CUNY and SUNY if:

• You attended at least two years at and graduated from a New York high school,

or

• You received a high school equivalency diploma after attending an approved course

from New York State.

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For information on CUNY, call (800) CUNY-YES (286-9937) or click here. For information on SUNY, call (800) 342-3811 or click here.