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Early Childhood Education at Bank Street

Discover preschool, pre-kindergarten, and other programs for young children

At Bank Street, we know that the learning and healthy development of every child is directly connected to the relationships and experiences they have in their earliest years. Across our early childhood programs, children and their families form positive and trusting relationships with educators, which supports early learning and creates the foundation for future success in school and in life. Additionally, all of our programs build from an understanding of what works best for children at each stage of their development.

The below early childhood education programs serve the varying needs of families, including Lower School programs at Bank Street School for Children, an independent preschool through eighth grade school; the Bank Street Family Center, an inclusive center for children ages 6 months through 5 years old; and Bank Street Head Start, a free income-based preschool program for children ages 3–5 years old.

School for Children

School for Children student painting with teacherThe School for Children is a private preschool through eighth grade school on 112th Street on New York City’s Upper West Side. Our preschool (3/4s), pre-K (4/5s), kindergarten (5/6s), and first grade (6/7s) classes are part of the School for Children’s Lower School division. We offer half-day and full-day options for preschool.

Each classroom has a head teacher, an associate teacher—who is also a student pursuing their graduate degree at the Bank Street Graduate School of Education—and a mid-day/part-time teacher. At the School for Children, two-thirds of our head teachers hold a master’s degree from the Bank Street Graduate School of Education, one of the country’s premier training grounds for teachers. With a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio in the Lower School, students are provided with individual support to flourish academically, socially, and emotionally. Prospective families are invited to request information and attend an open house. Applications open annually at the end of August.

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Family Center

Two Family Center students working with math manipulativesThe Family Center is an inclusive center located at 112th Street on the Upper West Side within Bank Street College. The center provides child care and special education and therapeutic support for children with different abilities at varying stages of development. The Family Center serves infants, toddlers, and young children ages 6 months to 5 years through two infant and toddler classrooms (children under age 3) that have a 1:3 teacher-child ratio and two preschool classrooms (children ages 3-5) that have a 1:4 teacher-child ratio. The center is open from September through mid-August and offers full-day (8:00 AM – 3:00 PM) and extended-day (8:00 AM – 6:00 PM) options for three, four, or five days a week.

Children share the same classrooms in both our General Education Program and Preschool Special Education Program, and teachers individualize activities to meet each child’s physical, emotional, language, and cognitive needs. All of our head teachers hold a master’s degree and approximately 50 percent of our staff are currently enrolled in graduate school. Prospective families are invited to request information about our childcare program. Applications open at the end of August each year.

In addition to its Childcare Program, the Family Center offers Family Foundations groups for child play and/or parenting support, including virtual and in-person sessions.

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Bank Street Head Start

Head Start student playing in classroomLocated in the East Village at 535 E 5th Street, Bank Street Head Start is a free preschool program for income-eligible families offering educational, nutritional, mental health, and social services for children ages 3 to 5 years old. The program includes classrooms for 3- to 4-year-old students and 4- to 5-year-old students and operates from the first week of September through the end of July.

Bank Street Head Start is an inclusive setting in which children with special needs are fully integrated into our ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant classrooms. Teachers individualize activities to build on each child’s strengths and to meet each child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive needs. Applications are accepted year-round for all children who are 2.9 to 4.11 years old. Applicants must meet the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

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Early Childhood at the School for Children

Bank Street teachers know how to help young children build strong foundations for academic, social, and emotional growth, which sets the stage early on for an educational journey filled with meaning and purpose. Starting as early as preschool (3/4s) and pre-K (4/5s), our students begin to learn who they are as people and understand their place in the world around them.
Educators at professional development workshop for math

Advancing Research, Policy, and Practice

Bank Street’s programs for young children build from the College’s deep expertise in the field of early childhood education, which spans over a century. Bank Street has various initiatives dedicated to advancing research, practice, and policy to support high-quality education for our youngest learners.
Research, Publications & Policy Our Work with Schools and Communities
Graduate student reading "Here and Now Story Book" by Bank Street Founder Lucy Sprague Mitchell

Grounded in Over a Century of Knowledge

Our children’s programs are part of the larger Bank Street College, which was founded in 1916 to discover what kind of environments are best suited for the learning and growth of young children. The College is nationally recognized as a leader in early childhood education, including its integral role in the formation of Head Start programs across the country. Today, our educators continue to tap into the College’s deep expertise and collective resources to enrich our programs.
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