Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza Announce 47 New Pre-K Dual Language Programs Across Every Borough

February 4, 2019

Applications for free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K and 3-K for All open today

Video available at: http://youtu.be/z9gBNqe5rg8

NEW YORK – Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza kicked off the first day of Pre-K and 3-K for All applications by announcing that 47 new pre-K Dual Language programs will open across the City this fall. The new programs will include the City’s first French, Haitian-Creole, Hebrew and Japanese pre-K Dual Language programs. At the start of the 2019-20 school year, there will be 107 programs throughout all five boroughs, more than triple the original 30 in 2015.

“Building the fairest big city in America starts in the classroom. We believe every child deserves the same strong start which is why we’re providing New Yorkers in every zip code with access to early childhood education,” said Mayor de Blasio. “By offering even more dual-language Pre-K programs across the five boroughs, we’re readying our children for the global economy of the future.”

“New York City’s youngest learners gain so much in 3-K and Pre-K classrooms across the City, and I encourage all eligible families to apply,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza.  “I’m also excited to announce that we’re opening 47 new Dual Language programs, where our students are learning to speak two languages – one of the greatest gifts there is. More New York City kids will get an early start on becoming multilingual, multicultural, and ready to succeed in our diverse world.”

“No one in our city’s history has done more to ensure that all of our city’s children have the advantages of a high quality early education than Mayor de Blasio,” said Hispanic Federation President José Calderón. “Today’s announcement of the opening of 47 new pre-K dual language programs is a testament to the importance of mayoral control. It is an incredible gift of education and multi-language acquisition for our children and their families that will strengthen communities across our city for generations to come.”

“We’re excited to add 47 new pre-K Dual Language programs, and offer a diverse range of students and families the opportunity to become truly multilingual,” said DOE Chief Academic Officer Linda Chen. “These new programs will build on our current program options as our Division of Multilingual Learners works to provide a continuum of high-quality Dual Language learning from pre-K through the 12th grade.”

In the 2019-20 school year, these programs will be in 103 schools, Pre-K Centers, and New York City Early Education Centers (NYCEECs) in every borough, with four sites offering Dual Language in more than one language. The new programs include six in the Bronx, 16 in Brooklyn, 8 in Manhattan, 16 in Queens, and one on Staten Island. In addition to the new French, Haitian-Creole, Hebrew, and Japanese programs, the DOE will continue to offer programs in Bengali, Chinese, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

Dual Language classes are comprised of 50 percent children whose home language is the target language of the program and 50 percent English-proficient students. Instruction is held in both languages, and students in pre-K Dual Language classes may continue on the Dual Language track in Kindergarten and beyond.

In addition to the City’s pre-K Dual Language programs, there are currently 545 bilingual programs across every borough for students in grades K-12. Approximately 200 bilingual programs have opened or expanded since the 2013-14 school year. Bilingual programs are available in schools citywide in 13 languages, serving approximately 40,000 students. Building on this progress, earlier this school year, Chancellor Carranza formally re-named the Division of English Language Learners as the Division of Multilingual Learners in order to honor the value of the hundreds of home languages spoken by New York City public school students.

“The foundation for educational success is built early, and the expansion of Pre-K and 3-K for All sets young minds on the path to future achievement in the classroom and beyond,” said Representative Adriano Espaillat. “Our communities are richly diverse and multiculturalism continues to thrive in each of the boroughs. New York City’s youngest residents will have the opportunity to become bilingual and multilingual while learning about the diverse world around them. I commend Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza on today’s announcement to champion the needs of our youngest New Yorkers and provide them with greater access to tools and skills that will help them succeed.”

"Education studies are nearly unanimous: Pre-K programs help students learn for a lifetime," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. "Even though we're still in the early years of New York City's Pre-K program, we are seeing benefits now, and will see more in the generations to come. I urge all parents of young children to apply to 3-K and Pre-K programs today and help put their children on a path of lifetime learning."

"I'm incredibly happy 3467 Ready Set Learn in the Bronx is among the schools selected by the DOE for the 47 new pre-K dual language programs that will begin across our city in the Fall. This new Spanish program in our district will help give our youngest residents access to the early education they need to succeed," said State Senator Luis Sepúlveda.

“I welcome these additional resources directed toward early education, especially because they will nurture and develop multilingual learners. Dual-language pedagogy provides an opportunity to strengthen DOE's commitment to culturally-responsive education that celebrates the diversity of children's native language as assets, not impediments. I hope that these 3-K programs will focus on play-based practices that have been shown to be so important to children's development. In addition, it is my fervent hope that the Department of Education's 3-K initiative will alleviate the economic burdens facing working-class parents who cannot afford the learning environments currently available in New York City for young children,” said State Senator Robert Jackson.

"Investing and promoting in early education is critical for our City; exposing a child to early learning and to the development of cognitive skills early on has been proven to drastically improve the quality of life of that child. I commend the vision of the City's administration and School's chancellor for making this initiative a top priority and I look forward to working to ensure that all children have access to quality education programs." said Assemblywoman Carmen De La Rosa. 

“Research has shown that multilingual education positively impacts cognitive and social development, particularly when it begins at an early age. The Dual Language Program will open doors to a wide world of academic and cultural enrichment for New York City's students,” said Council Member Mark Treyger, Chair of the Committee on Education.

“This is a great opportunity for expanding pre-k educational opportunities. Multilingual learning has been successful in my district and is enhancing literacy and bicultural understanding, which is a key element of learning a new language. I look forward to the rewards that this expansion will bring,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.

Applications for free, full-day, high-quality 3-K for All and Pre-K for All seats opened today. Families can find early childhood programs and apply online at MySchools.nyc. Families can also apply over the phone at 718-935-2009, or in person at a Family Welcome Center. All New York City families with children born in 2015 can apply for free, full-day, high-quality pre-K in the 2019-20 school year.

The 3-K application will also open on Monday, February 4, and will remain open until May 3. Programs in districts 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 16, 19, 23, 27, and 31 will be available for families when the application launches. Programs in the newly announced districts, 8 and 32, will be added to the application beginning in March. All New York City families with children born in 2016 can apply for the 2019-20 school year; families residing in district will receive priority. Families can find out their school district by calling 311 or visiting schools.nyc.gov/find-a-school.

“Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) commends the New York City Department of Education on the announcement of 47 new Dual Language Pre-Kindergarten programs across the City, in addition to the expansion of languages to include French, Haitian-Creole, Hebrew and Japanese,” said Ramon Peguero, Executive Director of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families. “In this extraordinary, pluralistic city we must cultivate educational systems that are truly culturally responsive and sustaining for all of New York City’s residents.  Dual Language programs have been proven beneficial to the cognitive development of children who participate. Further, CHCF hopes that this expansion will promote educational spaces that advance children whose primary language is not English.  CHCF looks forward to the continued growth in access to these valuable programs for all of New York City’s children.”

“Young children participating in early childhood programs are the adults of tomorrow. Let’s imagine these future adults as products of multilingual/multicultural early childhood programs that focus on the development of a strong foundation for academic achievement and socio emotional development,” said Nancy Villarreal de Adler, Executive Director of New York State Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE). “Let’s imagine these programs ensuring enriched learning by honoring, sustaining and using the students’ home and other languages for instruction. Let’s imagine these future adults of a new generation as products of an education whose beliefs and practices embody real notions of educational equity, social justice, respect for linguistic and cultural diversity, and the development of humanistic values. Let’s imagine, then, a new generation of diverse people celebrating their contributions to the advancement of the world community.”

“In partnership with the DOE, our Linking Immigrant Families with Early Childhood Education (LIFE) project continues to help immigrant families enroll in Pre-K and 3K across the city. Our grassroots member organizations from the South Bronx, East Harlem and Sunset Park know first hand how important it is to immigrant families that their children have access to programs that celebrate their native language and cultural heritage. We applaud the DOE on expanding these critical programs, which are vital for the success of our immigrant communities," said Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition.   

“We applaud and welcome the launch of the 47 dual-language pre-k programs as the  beginning of a growing trend to serve more multi-lingual learners in Western Queens,” said Anthony Lopez, Executive Director, Zone 126 .

“CPC commends the Mayor’s Office and Department of Education on expanding dual language early childhood programs. CPC provides culturally and linguistically appropriate early childhood education programs and knows how bilingualism and multilingualism are important to child development. We are excited for the expansion of dual language programs in Chinese and other Asian languages, and we look forward to working with Mayor’s Office and DOE to make sure these programs reach our Asian American and immigrant communities,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO, Chinese-American Planning Council.

“We are thrilled to learn that the City has expanded the Dual Language Program in Japanese at PS 147 to include pre-K,” said Susan Onuma, President, Japanese American Association of New York. “Young Japanese families are a growing demographic in Brooklyn and this is a great way to share Japanese with others from an early age. We hope that more schools will be able to benefit from this great multicultural program in the future!”

“CACF, the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, is happy see NYC offer our youngest learners the opportunity to maintain their native language and learn a new language. Studies have demonstrated the myriad of benefits of being multilingual,” said Vanessa Leung and Anita Gundanna, Co-Executive Directors, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF). “CACF looks forward to seeing the continued expansion of dual language programs across the City and across grades.”

“We’re delighted that the City will now offer instruction in Japanese as part of its expanded pre-K program,” said Motoatsu Sakurai, President, Japan Society. “As one of the premier Japanese language centers in the City of New York, we understand the rich cultural benefits of these offerings. Japan Society applauds the Mayor and the City for their valuable investment in bilingual education for all New Yorkers.”

Together, the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier – free, full-day, high-quality education for three-year-olds and four-year-olds through 3-K for All and Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier – Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools. Efforts to create more diverse and inclusive classrooms through Diversity in New York City Public Schools, the City’s school diversity plan, are central to this pathway.

Below is a complete list of pre-K Dual Language sites available in September 2019:

Bronx
PS 30 Wilton – Spanish (New)
The New American Academy at Roberto Clemente State Park – Spanish (New)
Bedford Park Elementary School – Spanish (New)
Ready Set Learn – Spanish (New)
3467 Ready Set Learn – Spanish (New)
Monsignor Boyle Head Start – Spanish (New)
Samara Community School – Spanish (Expanding)
PS 49 Willis Avenue – Spanish (Current)
PS 161 Juan Ponce De Leon School – Spanish (Current)
PS 277 – Spanish (Current)
PS 138 Samuel Randall – Spanish (Current)
PS 73 Bronx – Spanish (Current)
PS 109 Sedgwick – Spanish (Current)
PS 226 – Spanish (Current)
PS 160 Walt Disney – Spanish (Current)
Belmont Community Day Care Center – Spanish (Current)

Brooklyn
PS 46 Edward C. Blum – Spanish (New)
PS 147 Isaac Remsen – Japanese (New)
PS 124 Silas B. Dutcher – Spanish (New)
PS 5 Dr. Ronald McNair – French (New)
PS 40 George W. Carver – Spanish (New)
Brighter Choices Community School – Spanish (New)
PS 238 Anne Sullivan – Spanish (New)
All My Children Day Care 10 – Hebrew (New)
Charles R. Drew ELC 5 – Haitian-Creole (New)
Higher Level – Spanish (New)
Kreative Kare Day Care Center – Spanish (New)
ABC Plus – Russian (New)
Learn and Explore – Russian (New)
District 20 Pre-K Center at 7415 Fort Hamilton Parkway – Chinese (New)
District 20 Pre-K Center at 140 58th Street – Spanish (New)
District 20 Pre-K Center at 21 Bay 11th Street – Chinese (New)
PS 9 Teunis G. Bergen – Spanish (Current)
PS 54 Samuel C. Barnes – Spanish (Current)
PS 133 William A. Butler – Spanish (Current)
PS 319 – Spanish (Current)
PS 1 The Bergen School – Spanish (Current)
PS 15 Patrick F. Daly – Spanish (Current)
PS 24 – Spanish (Current)
Sunset Park Avenues Elementary School – Spanish (Current)
Brooklyn Arts and Sciences Elementary School – Spanish (Current)
PS 89 Cypress Hills – Spanish (Current)
PS 108 Sal Abbracciamento – Spanish (Current)
PS 112 Lefferts Park – Italian (Current)
PS 90 Edna Cohen School – Spanish (Current)
PS 139 Alexine A. Fenty – Spanish (Current)
PS  123 Suydam – Spanish (Current)
PS 145 Andrew Jackson – Spanish (Current)
PS 151 Lyndon B. Johnson – Spanish (Current)
The Little Brooklyn Pre-K Center at 173-177 25th Street – Chinese, Spanish (Current)
District 20 Pre-K Center at 1423 62nd Street – Chinese, Spanish (Current)

Manhattan
PS 163 Alfred E. Smith – Spanish (New)
PS 242 The Young Diplomats Magnet Academy – Italian (New)
PS 155 William Paca – Spanish (New)
PS 5 Ellen Lurie – Spanish (New)
PS 48 P.O. Michael J. Buczek – Spanish (New)
PS 98 Shorac Kappock – Spanish (New)
East Harlem CHS Bilingual Head Start Program – Spanish (New)
Saint Elizabeth Pre-Kindergarten – Spanish (New)
PS 20 Anna Silver – Chinese, Spanish (Current)
PS 188 The Island School – Spanish (Current)
PS 1 Alfred E. Smith – Spanish (Current)
PS 145 The Bloomingdale School – Russian, Spanish (Current)
PS 180 Hugo Newman – Spanish (Current)
James Weldon Johnson – Spanish (Current)
PS 96 Joseph Lanzetta – Spanish (Current)
PS 129 John H. Finely – Spanish (Current)
PS 28 Wright Brothers – Spanish (Current)
PS 128 Audubon – Spanish (Current)
PS/IS 210 Twenty-first Century Academy for Community Leadership – Spanish (Current)
Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School – Spanish (Current)
Castle Bridge School – Spanish (Current)

Queens
PS 19 Marino Jeantet – Spanish (New)
PS 29 Queens – Spanish (New)
PS 163 Flushing Heights – Chinese (New)
PS 197 The Ocean School – Spanish (New)
PS 112 Dutch Kills – Spanish (New)
PS 127 Aerospace Science Magnet School – Spanish (New)
Mi Nuevo Mundo – Spanish (New)
Sesame Sprout – Spanish (New)
Charles R. Drew ELC 3 – Spanish (New)
Little Friends School Sunnyside – Spanish (New)
Long Island City YMCA – Spanish (New)
Kon Wah Day School – Chinese (New)
Home Sweet Home Children’s School – Chinese (New)
Atonement Preschool – Spanish (New)
Corona Friends – Spanish (New)
BWY Preschool – Spanish (New)
District 25 Pre-K Center at 123-07 22nd Ave – Spanish (Expanding)
Elm Tree Elementary School – Spanish (Current)
PS/MS 138 Sunrise – Spanish (Current)
PS 17 Henry David Thoreau – Spanish (Current)
PS 76 William Hallet – Spanish (Current)
Fire Fighter Christopher A. Santora School – Spanish (Current)
PS 228 Early Childhood Magnet School of the Arts – Spanish (Current)
Ezra Jack Keats Pre-K Center at 153-36 89th Ave – Bengali (Current)
District 30 Pre-K Center at 96-10 23rd Avenue – Spanish (Current)
District 30 Pre-K Center at 3252 37th Street – Spanish (Current

Staten Island
Little Smarties Preschool – Russian (New)
PS 16 John. J. Driscoll – Spanish (Current)
PS 19 The Curtis School – Spanish (Current)
PS 22 Graniteville – Spanish (Current)
PS 44 Thomas C. Brown – Spanish (Current)