Our children have been locked out of their zoned school, P.S. 199.  

In August, 2014 the Department of Education added a 7th kindergarten class at P.S. 199 to accommodate the remaining children on the zoned wait list of 98 for the 2014-2015 school year. The DOE immediately declared it a one time deal, stating the need for additional kindergarten seats “is a one year bubble”.

The DOE has remained true to that unilateral decision to eliminate the 7th kindergarten class, despite the current year zoned wait list of at least 94. Last year was not a one year bubble. The number of zoned kindergarten applicants last year was 250, this year 241. If the decision was based on “a one year bubble” it clearly should be reversed. 

The need to make space for zoned children is in fact far greater this year due to the number of zoned siblings, who have first priority, doubling from 40 to 80. The DOE knew last year the number of siblings would explode this year and they failed to plan, doing nothing.

We believe all children should have access to a quality education.  We believe in appropriate student/teacher ratios.  We believe the whole child should be educated with academics as well as the arts, etc.  We believe in everything that makes P.S. 199 the success it is, and do not feel it has to  compromise anything in order for everyone in the zone to fit in.  However, we have a major problem since our children have been left out of their zoned school and community.

57% of the zoned children who applied this year, without a sibling at the school, were placed on the waitlist. This is a crises.  It is devastating to a community when a school can’t accommodate this large a portion of their residents. Families can’t live in an area where they can’t plan their children’s education.

The DOE’s refusal to make space for the zoned children disregards the Chancellor’s regulations. Section II E 5 of the Regulation of the Chancellor states “A zoned school has a responsibility to serve all children who live within its attendance zone.” Section II E 9 states “It is the primary obligation of a zoned school to serve its zoned students. If a zoned school is unable to accommodate all zoned students, non-mandatory programs at the school may be reduced or eliminated".  

Additionally, the kindergarten application process allows people to use fraudulent addresses upon application in order to be placed in the zoned resident priority pool, thereby preventing true zoned children from placement. The procedures used and the resources the DOE devotes to identifying these abuses are clearly insufficient.

The DOE made no effort to engage the zoned parents to explore options to accommodate the zoned children entering kindergarten this upcoming school year.

The lack of transparency of this decision, and the failure of the DOE to come up with a short-term strategy has shifted the burden to families. The consequences are being placed on the shoulders of our four and five year old children.

If P.S. 199 fails to accommodate its zoned children, there will be a deep and lasting impact to our families, our children and our community. The DOE’s decision to shut children out of their zoned neighborhood school is unfair to the families that have deep roots in the zone and have decided to stay in the zone specifically to send their children to P.S. 199. There was no consultation or dialogue with the affected families. No options were ever presented or communicated.

We already are part of the P.S. 199 community. We too fought in 2013 to save the school from developers who wished to tear it down. We have supported the school by attending the many fund raising activities over the years, assuming our children would one day be part of the school’s success.  As P.S. 199 parents we would continue our commitment to support the students and teachers, including the favorable student/teacher ratios, at the school.

Several other elementary schools throughout the city are experiencing, or have recently experienced similar overcrowding concerns. Many of these schools, including ones in the same district as P.S. 199, are adding kindergarten classes to address the issue.

We urge the DOE to restore the 7th kindergarten class at P.S. 199 and make additional space to accommodate the zoned children. We also urge the DOE to engage the parents of the wait list in discussions to explore all options. We are also urging the DOE to strengthen and intensify their efforts to find the people who do not live in the P.S. 199 zone and are using fraudulent addresses. We understand overcrowding is a potential issue but with rezoning already under discussion, we believe a short-term solution can be achieved.

All kindergarten students should have the right to attend public school in their local community, not just those fortunate enough to win the enrollment lottery. We are confident the DOE can accommodate all of our children at P.S. 199 for 2015-2016, while not compromising the quality of education that makes the school so essential to our community.

This community will not accept the solution of sending our children to an overflow school outside of our local community. The decision to eliminate a class was not imperative and denying placement of the zoned children is in violation of the Chancellor’s regulations.

P.S. 199 is our school too.