The Month Ahead (January 2026)
See what's happening in NYC Public Schools in January 2026, including the start of 3-K and Pre-K admissions for fall 2026, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January Regents exams, and the closure of this year's kindergarten application for fall 2026 admissions!
Don't Take a Holiday from Learning!
Attendance matters! Learn how missing just two days of school every month can have a negative effect on your child's education, and see what solutions and resources are available to help your child stay in school every day, all year round!
The Kindergarten Application for Fall 2026 is Open!
The kindergarten application is now open for fall 2026! Learn about tips and tools you can use to discover and select programs, and submit your application today!
It's Never Too Early to Plan for Your Child's Career
Don’t wait until your child's high school graduation to plan for their future. Get started on their career development now and learn how NYCPS can help.
Happy New Year! 2026 is a year full of historic milestones for both New York City and the United States. On January 1, we celebrate the founding of “Greater” New York City—when all five boroughs merged into the City that we call home today. This year also marks the 400th anniversary of the agreement between the Lenape and Dutch settlers at Bowling Green. Often misremembered as the “sale” of Manhattan, this was instead more likely a negotiation to share the land. Beyond our City, the United States is also celebrating its 250th anniversary on July 4.
In celebration, we’re sharing some of our favorite books for students of all ages that take place in NYC and explore the rich history of our neighborhoods, landmarks, and communities. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- Feivel’s Flying Horses, by Heidi Smith Hyde; illustrated by Joanna van der Sterre
- Immigrant Architect, by Berta de Miguel and Kent Diebolt; illustrated by Virginia Lorente
- Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure, by Nadja Spiegelman; illustrated by Sergio García Sánchez
- Sky Boys, by Deborah Hopkinson; illustrated by James E. Ransome
- Sugar Hill: Harlem’s Historic Neighborhood, by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Alice Austen Lived Here, by Alex Gino
- All the Greys on Greene Street, by Laura Tucker
- The Doorman’s Repose, by Chris Raschka
- Four Streets and a Square, by Marc Aronson
- Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All, by Chanel Miller
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- The Bridge, by Peter J. Romasi
- The Long Ride, by Marina Budhos
- Some Places More Than Others, by Renée Watson
- The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, by Karina Yan Glaser
- When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- 145th Street: Short Stories, by Walter Dean Myers
- Brownstone, by Samuel Teer; illustrated by Mar Julia
- Flamboyants, by George M. Johnson
- Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim, by Patricia Park
- Rats, by Robert Sullivan
You can find these books and many more great reads on Sora, our Citywide Digital Library, which provides free access to thousands of digital e-books and audiobooks for our students. You can also find even more recommendations in the New York State of Mind Collection on Sora!
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
On this month's edition of the Spotlight, we're looking back on November's Climate Action Day, when schools across the five boroughs got their communities involved in helping to make our City cleaner and greener.
We're also looking back on the 2025 Arts in Schools Report Showcase, held on December 9 at Tweed Courthouse, which highlighted and celebrated NYCPS' annual release of data and information concerning the status of arts instruction in City schools.
On behalf of NYCPS, we thank everyone who participated in these events!
Get Ready for More Learning and Less Scrolling
Beginning this September, NYC Public Schools will be implementing its new Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy across all K–12 City public schools, including charter programs, in accordance with New York State law. Learn more about this "cell phone ban," and start getting ready for distraction-free schools this fall!
Ready to Read: Literacy Resources for Families
NYC Reads is reshaping the way that we teach our students to read, but the learning doesn't have to stop at the classroom door! Whether it's a family book club or a phonics-based 20 questions game, you can bring the "science of reading" home by using any of our helpful resources that will help your children continue to develop their literacy skills, like:
- Reading Games
- Phonics, Vocabulary, and Storytelling Practice
- And more!
Stay Informed with a NYC Schools Account (NYCSA)
With a NYCSA, you can:
- Access your child's school information on the go
- See your student’s grades, test scores and more
- Complete important forms
- Take classes in Parent University
- Get technology support through SupportHub
