There is no fee to apply to Neighborhood Charter Schools.
Q: Is there an application fee?
Answer: No, there is no fee to apply to Neighborhood Charter Schools.
Q: What age do you have to be to start Kindergarten?
Answer: A child must turn 5 years by December 31st to begin kindergarten that fall. For example, a student turning 5 on November 13 can begin school in September of that same year.
Q: Can I fill out one application for all of my children?
Answer: No. Each child needs a separate application. However, you should make sure to indicate that there are siblings applying when you complete the application!
Q: How do you determine admission?
Answer: Students are admitted in the order in which they apply. If we have more applications than places, admission is by random lottery. Our lottery does give the following preferences in order to ensure we are best serving our families and local community.
- Siblings of currently enrolled students.
- Children of current NCS staff.
- Students residing in the following Community School Districts (CSD):
- CSD 7 for applicants applying to the Bronx School
CSD 6 for applicants applying to the Harlem School - Students applying to the ASD program. Please note this is a separate application process.
Q: Does it cost anything to attend the school?
Answer: No. NCS is a public school. It is free.
Q: Do you have Special Education Services?
Answer: Yes. Approximately 30% of our student population have special needs. We have a specialized program for scholars with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Furthermore, NCS offers all related services mandated on a child’s IEP (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, speech, etc.).
Q: If my child is an English Language Learner are they allowed to apply?
Answer: Yes. We welcome English Language Learners.
Q: What grades do you offer?
Answer: We are accepting applications for Kindergarten through 8th grade for our Harlem campus and Kindergarten through 5th grade for our Bronx campus for the 23-24 school year.
Q: Does the school offer busing?
Answer: Scholars may qualify for busing through the Office of Pupil Transportation (click here). Transportation eligibility is determined on the basis of the scholar’s grade level and distance between the scholar’s residence and school. If a scholar does not qualify for the school bus, they may be eligible for a full-fare or half-fare MetroCard. Otherwise, a family member or friend must drop off and pick up their student each day.
Scholars receiving special education services that are mandated to receive transportation on their IEP are eligible for door-to-door busing.