New York’s public schools offer a comprehensive curriculum, taught by motivated educators and backed by strong resources, that prepares children for the tremendous opportunities that exist after their public schooling ends.
A well-rounded education includes courses in English, arts and literature, science and technology and mathematics. Tough – but fair – graduation requirements help ensure students are highly-qualified to either join the workforce, further their vocational or technical training or pursue a secondary education.
To find the public school districts in your area, select Public School Districts from the Categories list on the right sidebar and search by region, county or zip code.
Preschool
Preschool or prekindergarten (pre-k) services are designed for children between the ages of three and five years old. Preschools may vary in character and purpose, although many do provide basic instruction and training to ready your child for school. In New York state, preschool programs are generally operated by private organizations and licensed by the state. Some public schools offer pre-k programs.
Elementary School
Elementary education begins in kindergarten – at about age 5 for most children – and continues through grade 5 – about age 10 or 11.
Basic concepts are introduced and standardized testing is administered according to state regulation in grades 4 and 5. These tests evaluate the progress of the individual student and may also be used to measure the effectiveness of a particular school. Throughout elementary school, services are made available to individual students with special needs, most often at your child’s school.
Elementary schools are, for the most part, smaller than middle or high schools. Within larger districts, there may be several elementary schools for each middle school. Most often, children are assigned to specific elementary schools based on their home residence location.
Middle School
Middle school education begins in grade 6 – at age 11 or 12 – and continues through grade 8 – age 13-14. Academic expectations increase as students prepare for high school. Standardized testing continues to be administered; however, this testing becomes more focused on specific subject areas such as math, English, science and social studies. Students may begin to participate in interscholastic sports during middle school.
High School
Students attend high school from grade 9 through grade 12. Graduation requirements in public high schools are set by the New York State Education Department and consist of both course completion requirements and acceptable performance on standardized tests known as Regents examinations. Graduation requirements at private schools are set by the schools and may vary somewhat from public school requirements. The public school’s obligation to individual students generally concludes at graduation, although students who have not graduated may remain eligible for free public education until age 21.