Education for Children

Bank Street Head Start

Bank Street Head Start in New York City offers free education and services to families of children ages 3 to 5 years old. We provide free nutritional breakfast, lunch, and snacks, along with education, mental health, and social services.

Funded by the federal government and the Department of Education, our program’s main goal is to help children develop a love for learning and get ready for kindergarten. In our preschool and pre-K school classrooms, children are excited to learn and build the skills and confidence to thrive. We also believe that parents and caregivers are key to their children’s education, so we work closely with families to support their goals.

Eligibility Requirements

We accept applications year round for all children who are 2.9 to 4.11 years old, regardless of race, color, gender, creed, national origin, or disability. Applicants must meet the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

If you have any questions, please contact Lizette Otero at lotero@bankstreet.edu or 212-875-4736.

Request Information (English) Request Information (Spanish)

A group of parents and children are smiling at the May day celebration.

Teacher with boy at Bank Street Head Start

Our Program

How to Apply

At A Glance

73%

Students of Color
7:1

Child to Teacher Ratio
6

Languages Spoken by Staff
100%

Lead Teachers are NYS Certified

Our History

Bank Street’s Head Start initiative began in 1964, shortly after the Civil Rights Act was passed. Earlier in 1964, Bank Street’s president, John H. Niemeyer, had been asked to work with Southern universities to create desegregation programs. Faculty at Bank Street were tasked with creating regulations for Project Head Start, and the first Head Start concept paper, written by staff in the United States Office of Economic Opportunity, pointed to Bank Street’s classrooms as a model for Head Start classrooms. Bank Street officially began program activities in 1965 with the creation of the 42nd Street Early Childhood Model Head Start Training Center, which ceased operations in the 1970s. Head Start programs were revived at Bank Street in the 1990s, and today’s program operates in the East Village.

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This website is supported by Grant Number 02CH012466 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of Bank Street College of Education and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.