With the pre-kindergarten application period opening Monday, the WNYC Data News Team has put together a search tool for families. Just type in an address to see pre-k community and school-based programs in the area.
And, new this year, more information on the quality of those programs, with ratings we included in the search tool. Keep in mind, there are not quality ratings for all the programs yet: trained observers have visited 1,100 of the city's 1,800 full-day pre-k sites so far.
Here's some background on what the numbers mean: Observers rated the pre-k programs according to what's called the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale, known as ECERS, which is a nationally recognized tool for evaluating pre-k programs.
The city found that 77 percent of programs overall met a key benchmark associated with positive student outcomes — a 3.4 out of a scale of 7.
That 3.4 number may sound a bit random but education officials point to research showing that a 3.4 rating is associated with key outcomes like development of language and social skills.
Still, families should keep in mind that the quality ratings represent one moment in time, captured over the last three years during an observation, said Josh Wallack, a deputy chancellor who oversees the city's pre-k programs.
"It's a cue for discussion," said Wallack. "The best way for families to use it is in the context of visiting a program."
The Department of Education website has more about the pre-k application process.