MANHATTAN — Parents now have five extra days to enroll their toddlers in pre-k.
The application deadline for city-run pre-kindergarten programs has been extended to April 10 for the 2012-2013 school year, the Department of Education announced in a letter sent to parents Thursday.
"We just want to give people a little extra time," said a DOE spokesman, who cited subtle changes in this year's application process as part of the explanation for the decision.
While enrollment isn’t mandatory, about 28,000 kids applied for seats in coveted city-run pre-kindergarten programs last year, seeking an experience that is more educational than daycare but not as expensive as private school.
Demand is usually so high that there aren’t enough seats to go around, which means that the most sought-after programs remain harder to get into than an Ivy League college.
Parents who are still interested in applying can do so online here, or in person by 3 p.m. April 10 at a city enrollment office. All children who will turn 4 this year are eligible to apply.
Free pre-k is also available at dozens of community-based organizations across the city, which each have their own application and admissions timeline.
