Education: Resources For Choosing the Right School

To ensure that a child growing up in the city gets a good education, parents really do have to turn themselves into educated consumers. We have four thriving educational sectors—public, private, charter, and parochial—and they all have their pros and cons, rules, and regulations. New York Family has several wonderful resources to help guide city parents (read on!); plus, we’ve rounded up a selective list of tools that are available to help you find the best school for your child.

NEW YORK FAMILY RESOURCES

The Blackboard Awards: The prestigious Blackboard Awards honor excellence in education throughout the city and in every educational sector, calling upon parents and educators to help select and celebrate wonderful schools, principals, and teachers. You can learn more about the Blackboard Awards and read about past winners at blackboardawards.com. When you visit the site, please be sure to tell us about the schools, principals, and teachers of excellence in your family’s life. You can submit your nominations all year.

The Blackboard Awards: The prestigious Blackboard Awards honor excellence in education throughout the city and in every educational sector, calling upon parents and educators to help select and celebrate wonderful schools, principals, and teachers.

You can learn more about the Blackboard Awards and read about past winners at blackboardawards.com. When you visit the site, please be sure to tell us about the schools, principals, and teachers of excellence in your family’s life. You can submit your nominations all year.

New York Family: If you define education as learning that takes place both in the classroom and outside the classroom, then it’s just a huge part of what we do almost every day on our website and every month in our magazine, by pointing parents to good info and resources for helping them raise their children.

And regarding education in particular, we cover news, trends, admissions, and helpful resources all year long. A great way of tapping into our education coverage is to sign up for our free education e-newsletter, which runs twice-monthly through much of the year.

NURSERY SCHOOL & PRE-K

The Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY)

The New York City Department of Education (DOE)

The Parents League of New York

Victoria Goldman’s The Manhattan Directory of Private Nursery Schools

Note: Many “preschool alternative” programs are offered by neighborhood education and enrichment centers. See our Classes Guide.

PUBLIC SCHOOL

Clara Hemphill’s various guides to NYC public schools

Class Size Matters

DOE

Insideschools

NYC Public School Parents

PRIVATE SCHOOL (INDEPENDENT)

ISAAGNY

The NYC Private School Admissions Handbook

The Parents League of New York

Victoria Goldman’s The Manhattan Family Guide To Private Schools And Selective Public Schools

CHARTER SCHOOL

DOE

New York City Charter School Center

PAROCHIAL SCHOOL

Archdiocese of New York

Note: For other faith-based schools in the New York City area, we recommend contacting local organizations affiliated with your religion. They should be able to direct you to schools of interest.

SCHOOL ADMISSION CONSULTANTS

As with college admissions consultants, the city has a small but busy cottage industry of consultants who help parents with nursery, public, and private school admissions.

Private Education Advisory Service (PEAS)

School Choice International

School Search NYC

Smart City Kids

TUTORS

Bee Tutored

Big City Tutoring

Bright Kids NYC

Brownstone Tutors

EBL Coaching

Fusion Academy and Learning Center

Green Test Prep

ibidPREP

Ivy Tutors Network

Kumon

Launch Math & Science Centers

Mathnasium

Next Level Learning

PandaTree

The Princeton Review

WyzAnt

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Relevant Directory Listings

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The Parkside School

<p><strong>Empowering Students with Language-Based Learning Differences Through Comprehensive Education and Support</strong></p> <p>The Parkside School offers a comprehensive and nurturing educational experience for students with language-based learning differences and disabilities. Our program is designed to support the unique academic, social, and emotional needs of each child, empowering them to thrive in a structured yet flexible learning environment.</p> <p>At the heart of Parkside’s approach is a robust curriculum that integrates literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and the arts, all tailored to accommodate diverse learning styles. Our team of dedicated teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and counselors collaborate closely to provide individualized instruction and therapeutic support, ensuring that each student receives a holistic education. Small class sizes enable our staff to build strong relationships with students, fostering a deep understanding of their strengths and challenges.</p> <p>Parkside’s multi-disciplinary team utilizes evidence-based interventions such as The Zones of Regulation and executive functioning strategies to promote self-regulation and problem-solving skills. Our occupational therapy program supports sensory integration and fine motor development, while speech and language services target communication skills, helping students express themselves more effectively and build stronger connections with peers.</p> <p>Beyond academics, Parkside emphasizes social-emotional learning through a community-centered approach. We provide students with a safe, supportive space to build self-confidence, social skills, and independence. Our inclusive community is further strengthened through partnerships with families, who are encouraged to take an active role in their child’s educational journey.</p> <p>At Parkside, we are committed to helping children discover their potential, preparing them not only for academic success but also for meaningful, fulfilling lives.</p>

LREI

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; color: #000000;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">At LREI we understand that students learn best when they are engaged. That’s why our 14-year progressive program is rooted in a fundamental love of learning and a connection to the real world. Our teachers, experts in their fields, encourage children to use their curiosity, compassion and imagination to think deeply and to participate in finding solutions to real problems.</span></p>

Garden School

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">A coed, fully-accredited, independent school in Jackson Heights offering an excellent and affordable Nursery–Grade 12 education. Small classes allow for a personalized approach.</span></p>