NEW YORK, NY April 13, 2009 —City parents in several neighborhoods are anxious about whether their local schools will have enough kindergarten slots this coming fall. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

REPORTER: It's hard to know if it's a true economic indicator, because the public school application process is different than it was last year. But it appears that more children are applying for kindergarten slots at desirable schools - especially in Manhattan.

At some schools, students who are zoned for the schools were put on waiting lists. At PS 11 in Chelsea, Principal Bob Bender says he's expecting the equivalent of a whole new kindergarten class. But if his average class sizes grow, he may no longer get $280,000 from the state.

BENDER: If you don't have the room for 22 or less students in a class, you will lose if you are already receiving reduced class funding, so that is a reality.

REPORTER: Another option is to create a new classroom by taking over an art or music room. A department of education spokesman says the city will work with parents whose children are on waiting lists. But he cautioned it's still too soon to know precise enrollments for the fall because families haven't heard yet if their children were accepted into gifted and talented programs. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.