Admissions FAQ

Shefa students come from a broad range of Jewish Day Schools and Yeshivot, independent schools and public schools. Over 90% of our students return to mainstream schools after their time at Shefa.

• Shefa students are bright, engaged, curious and have language-based learning disabilities (LBLD). 
• Students who are eager to learn, who are socially connected and have a growth mindset do particularly well at Shefa. Each child’s shefa — their abundance of unique gifts, talents, skills, and insights — is the launching point for an instructional plan that fosters academic, social, and emotional competence and confidence.

We believe that both inclusion models and stand-alone special education schools can be effective and appropriate for different kinds of learners. For many families, inclusion is an excellent option. However, each child is unique, and the needs and desires of the families in our community are diverse. 

Many Jewish parents choose to send their children to secular special educational schools, sacrificing a Jewish education in order to provide their child an appropriate academic program. We believe that families should not have to choose between a setting that meets their child’s academic needs and one that provides a Jewish education. The Shefa School offers families a new choice that previously did not exist — a Jewish community day school exclusively focused on serving the needs of children with learning differences.

The Shefa School is committed to having a socioeconomically diverse community. Shefa offers tuition support to qualified applicants based on the individual needs of the families and the availability of funding. Because funding is limited, families interested in applying for financial aid should do so early in the process, preferably as soon as they submit an application. The online application is administered by FACTS. To apply, please visit the FACTS website by following this link: https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/4JPWC.

If you would like more information on tuition support, please email financialaid@shefaschool.org. Information shared during the tuition support process is held in the strictest of confidence.

There is no hard deadline for submitting an application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the school year.

Yes. A crucial part of our admissions process is for every student to spend time at Shefa.

• K-1st grade applicants will participate in a playgroup style visit
• 2nd-8th grade applicants will visit the school for a couple of hours to experience our classrooms, interact with peers and meet with the admissions team

Open houses are held frequently and are the best opportunity to learn about Shefa and to see our school from the inside. To learn more, please call 212.873.1300 or email admissions@shefaschool.org