🎟️ Free · a NYC first The first DOE district public Montessori
Free public Montessori has only existed here via charters — Albee Square is the first run directly by the NYC Department of Education as a district public school. It opened in 2024 and adds a grade each year. See the free 3-K & Pre-K picture →
Amber Staff transparency
As a brand-new public school, its principal is named through the NYC DOE, but public-facing staff and Montessori-credential details are still thin — expected this early, but worth confirming directly.
Snapshot
See the school
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the borough's civic and transit hub — new residential towers around the landmark clock tower, courts and colleges, and one of the densest subway convergences in the city, making it reachable from much of Brooklyn.
Overview
Albee Square Montessori (P.S. 482) is, by NYC's account, the first Montessori run directly by the Department of Education as a district public school — distinct from the free Montessori charters that came before it. It opened in 2024 and is scaling up one grade per year (currently around PreK–Grade 2, growing toward Grade 5).
Programs & ages
Mixed-age Montessori classrooms in the early grades, expanding into elementary as the founding cohort advances — a rare chance at tuition-free Montessori through the elementary years.
Cost & access
It's free — a DOE district public school, so there's no tuition. Enrollment is through the NYC public-school system rather than private application; see our free 3-K & Pre-K guide for how public seats work.
Leadership
As a district public school, its principal is listed through the NYC DOE. Named Montessori-trained staff and credentials aren't fully public yet — understandable for a school this new, but worth asking about.
Authenticity
It follows the Montessori model within a public-school framework, so it must also meet city and state requirements. Treat it as Montessori-method public education; see the authenticity guide.
What parents say
Too new for meaningful independent reviews. Check InsideSchools and the DOE's school-survey data as they accumulate.
Heard around town
Signals from public parent forums and listservs. Forum chatter is opinion — take it with a grain of salt.
Admissions
Apply through the NYC public-school process (MySchools / DOE) on the city's timeline — separate from private-school and charter-lottery calendars. Check the school and DOE for the current window and any district priority.