Dear Commons Community,

As was reported earlier this week, nearly 70,000 kids have been accepted for prekindergarten classes for next fall in New York City public schools. Without a doubt this is the most significant reform of public education in the city since mayoral control was established in 2001.  As reported in The Daily News:

“[de Blasio] said 69,393 student swould get letters offering seats starting this week — including a set of quadruplets, who got their letters personally from the mayor — at an Inwood school.

“For the first time in the history of this city, we will have a full-day, high-quality pre-K seat for every child who needs one. Every single child,” de Blasio said. “Literally every family that applied got an offer of a seat.”

Some 70% of families who applied got their first choice, and 82% got one of their top three choices. But 15% didn’t get any of the up to 12 programs they requested, and were instead offered spots elsewhere.

Little Abril, Antonio, Minerva, and Oliver Capellan, who will turn 4 this year, were the only set of quadruplets to apply — and they nabbed seats at Inwood’s Public School 5, which caters to kids learning English.  The tots played with puppets and chattered in Spanish over dignitaries giving speeches, as their mom said pre-K would be a godsend…

“It’s a gift,” said Lenny Capellan, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, who said she never could have afforded private care. “It’s hard work to take care of them. It’s very expensive to take care of school for my children, very, very expensive.”

Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said the eager quads are already showing their growing skills. “They’re ready to learn. So imagine a year with these kids not in school. It’s a wasted year. It’s a wasted opportunity,” she said.”

This is the kind of reform that the children and their parents deserve.  A “godsend” indeed!

Tony