DREAM Program

Dream stands for:

  • Determination
  • Resiliency
  • Enthusiasm
  • Ambition, and
  • Motivation

DREAM is a Saturday and summer academic program that prepares eligible seventh-grade New York City public school students to take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) in the eighth grade.

DREAM 2023

The DREAM program will kick-off across all five boroughs in spring 2023 on Saturdays starting in March, continue for five weeks this summer and then finish with Saturdays in the fall of 2023.

Program 2023 will run from Spring 2023 to Fall 2023:

  • Spring Class Sessions: Saturdays, March - June 2023
  • Summer Class Sessions: Monday-Thursday, July - August 2023
  • Fall Class Sessions: Saturdays, September 2023 - until the 2023 SHSAT (Note: Attending the summer session is required to attend the fall session)

Eligibility Requirements

  • The DREAM program is open to students from all NYC school districts.
  • To be eligible for DREAM-SHSI students must meet all of the criteria below in part A and part B. Eligible students are contacted by their schools.

Part A

Students must:

  • Be a current NYC resident
  • Be enrolled in the seventh grade in a DOE public or charter school
  • Score a minimum of:
    • o 3.2 or above on both the 2022 grade 6 New York State Math Test and grade 6 New York State ELA Test.

Part B

Students must EITHER:

  • Live or attend school in NYC school districts 1, 2, 3 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31 and meet income requirements based on federal guidelines, as informed by the family income inquiry form, completed by families for their schools in the fall.

OR

  • Live or attend school in NYC school districts: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 27, 29, or 32.

For questions, please email SHSI@schools.nyc.gov