Which Matters for Pre-K Admissions: Your Home District or Your Child's 3-K Program

By: Dana Szarf

I recently received a question from a family that I hear quite often:

"We live in one school district, but our child will attend 3-K in another district. When we apply to Pre-K, which district gives us priority?"

The answer is that your district priority is based on where you live, not where your child attends 3-K.

That said, attending 3-K can still help in one important way.

Let's look at an example.

A family lives in District 17 but their child attends a 3-K program in District 13.

When it comes time to apply for Pre-K, the child will receive District 17 priority because that is where the family lives. The family does not gain District 13 priority simply because their child attended 3-K there.

However, many schools and centers give preference to children who are already enrolled in their 3-K program. In this case, the child may receive current student priority at their existing District 13 program.

So the child could have:

• District 17 resident priority at District 17 programs.

• Current student priority at their current District 13 school or center.

• No District 13 resident priority at other District 13 programs.

This distinction is important because many families assume that attending 3-K in a district will make them a district resident for admissions purposes the following year. It's a common misconception, but district priority is determined by residency rather than current school attendance.

When thinking about Pre-K admissions, I encourage families to separate two different ideas:

Where you live determines your district priority.

Where your child attends school may provide current student priority.

These priorities can exist at the same time, but they are not the same thing.

For many families, attending a 3-K program outside their district still makes perfect sense. The program may be a better fit, closer to work, or simply the option that was available when they applied. Just be aware that your home address—not your child's current school—determines your district residency priority when Pre-K admissions roll around.

If you're trying to figure out your chances at a particular Pre-K program or build a balanced application list, feel free to reach out. Understanding how priorities work can make a big difference when it comes time to apply.

What You Should Be Focusing on in 7th Grade to Help Prepare you for High School

As the high school process starts to get in full swing, it’s tempting to focus on grades, test scores, and future applications. But 7th grade is also about building the skills students need so high school doesn’t feel like a shock to the system. 

1. Building friendships is seriously important to seventh graders. Kids are figuring out how to navigate changing social dynamics, occasional (or not so occasional) drama, and what it means to be a good friend. These sometimes messy lessons are setting them up for high school, where social bumps in the road happen, but kids can hopefully bounce back quicker.  
   
   

2. Executive functioning - our favorite two words! These skills become even more important in high school as homework piles up, long term assignments become more common, and discovering a project the day before it’s due becomes a big problem. Seventh grade is a great time to practice organization and time management before the stakes get higher. 
   
   

3. Experimenting with interests should be encouraged! Not every 12 year old has a passion for something. Try new activities, clubs, books, subjects. This helps kids figure out what they actually enjoy instead of what their friends or enjoy, or what they think will look good on paper. 
   
   

4. Fostering Independence this is the quiet goal behind everything else. Kids should start taking more responsibility for the schedules, schoolwork, and communication. It’s a great time to make sure your kid is emailing their teacher instead of you! Confidence grows when kids realize they can handle hard things. 

middle school and high school plans?

By Joyce Szuflita
Read this great article from Chalkbeat that lays out the problem and presents what I feel is a realistic and pragmatic approach (in this moment) to screening students (or not) for middle school and high school. It is reporting on the Fordham Law School Feerick Center for Social Justice report.