Thu, May 7, 2026

School Notifications and Decisions 2026-27

When do private and public schools notify parents about decisions? When do parents need to make their decisions about public and private schools?

Applying to schools in the NYC and Tri-State Metro region requires careful planning, but if you can get these dates into the calendar now, you’ll be that much more prepared.

  • Schools in NYC, Connecticut New Jersey and Long Island all have differing notification and reply dates.
  • Public schools notify parents on different dates than private and independent schools.
  • Boarding schools have a different application schedule than day schools.

Here’s our break down for what you can expect when applying to schools in 2026-27 (Make sure to check individual school websites for exact dates):

When Do Connecticut Independent Schools Notify Parents?

According to Fairchester Schools,

  • Parents are notified of decisions in February
  • Parents must reply by a deadline in March

Learn more about the Fairchester Schools Timeline here:

Get Started

When Do New Jersey Independent Schools Notify Parents?

Schedules vary in New Jersey, for example:

Dwight-Englewood School

Lower School:

Notification DateReply Date
Feburary 5th, 2026February 20th, 2026


Middle School:

Notification DateReply Date
Feburary 5th, 2026February 25th, 2026


Upper School: 

Notification DateReply Date
Feburary 19th, 2026March 12th, 2026

All Saints Day School:

February 13: Enrollment offers will be sent

February 27: Signed contract and nonrefundable deposit required to secure enrollment.

Admissions Overview

When Do Long Island Independent Schools Notify Parents?

  • Friends Academy: Decisions are March 15th
  • Green Vale Applications completed after December 1 are reviewed on a rolling basis, as space allows in each grade.
    The Admissions Committee will continue to meet at the end of each month, and families will be notified of decisions shortly thereafter.

When Do NYC Private and Independent Schools Notify Parents?

Many schools follow guidelines set by ISAAGNY (The Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York)
See the notification and decision dates here: https://www.parentsleague.org/blog/notification-and-reply-dates-2026-2027

Some NYC schools dates fall outside of the ISAAGNY guidelines. For example, Hackley… Have different notification and decision dates. A Parents League School Advisor can help you navigate this schedule. Learn more about Parents League Membership here.

Public School Notification is April for middle school and March for high school

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade

2026–2027 School Year NYC Public School Placement Notifications
(The NYC Department of Education (DOE) has not yet released the official application and notification timeline for the 2027–2028 school year.)

  • High School Offers: Released March 5, 2026.
  • Middle School Offers: Released April 15, 2026.
  • Kindergarten Offers: Released March 31, 2026.
  • Pre-K Offers: Released May 12, 2026.
  • 3-K Offers: Released May 19, 2026.

When Do Boarding Schools Notify Parents? (M10 Explained)

Most boarding schools release admissions decisions on March 10, commonly referred to as “M10.”

March 2027: Admissions Decisions (M10)

Families typically receive:

  • Admission decisions
  • Waitlist notifications
  • Financial aid packages (if applicable)

Parents and students should review each offer carefully, considering:

  • Academic programs
  • Boarding life and student support
  • Financial aid awards
  • Campus culture and fit

Schools often host revisit days in March or April, allowing admitted students to return to campus and meet potential classmates.

April 2027: Enrollment Decision Deadline

The enrollment deadline usually falls around April 10.

During this final stage, families should:

  • Compare financial aid packages
  • Discuss the student’s preferences
  • Submit the enrollment contract and deposit
  • Notify other schools of your decision

Learn more here:

https://www.boardingschoolreview.com/blog/boarding-school-admissions-timeline-20262027-checklist

https://www.boardingschools.com/how-to-apply

3 Key Considerations for Families Applying to Both Public and Private Schools

Public and private school deadlines are not aligned in NYC

Families may have to make decisions without their complete results. Public school offers for pre-school, kindergarten and middle school come out after enrollment deadlines for private schools.

Day school and boarding school revisit dates may conflict

For families applying to day and boarding, they may not be able to do revisits at the boarding schools to which you’ve been admitted. This makes the initial tour (part of the application process) extremely important.

NYC lottery numbers shape your options

Many NYC families’ middle and high school options are dictated by the lottery number they’re assigned in early October so the strategy for school application could change.

A Parents League advisor can help you review your options and demystify the process. Become a member today to take advantage of this advice and more.

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