Looking back on the 2025-2026 NYC kindergarten interview preparation season, parents appeared more surprised than in previous years about what their child should be prepared to demonstrate in interviews and on the FLI test, particularly in math.
Preschool or Parents: Who Helps Prep for the FLI Test & Interviews?
Parents generally felt it was the preschool’s responsibility to prepare their child for success. Whether a preschool is play-based or emphasizes greater academic rigor, parents should help their child learn pre-reading skills, receptive and expressive language, fine and gross motor skills, personal and general knowledge, and early math.
Math Skills Your Preschooler Needs to Know
To help your preschoolers’ math skills thrive, please check out the blog Kindergarten Interview Math. Additionally, there are parent-friendly ideas included to help your preschooler improve.
Don’t be Surprised
Parents were most surprised to learn their preschooler should know the following math skills for kindergarten interviews and the FLI test:
- Count to 100
- Identify and label numbers from 1-100
- Write numbers 1-10
- Understand the concepts “before” and “after” regarding numbers
Again, information on addressing these math skills can be found on the Kindergarten Interview Math blog.
The FLI Test
This academic assessment is administered to preschoolers for admission to Riverdale Country School and Horace Mann. Test results this year were clear: with targeted preparation, results can improve.
Read more on Stephanie’s Blog:
- Following Directions: Kindergarten Interviews & FLI Test
- FLI Test & Kindergarten Interview Patterning
- FLI Assessment and Kindergarten Interview Prep
Kindergarten Prep with Stephanie
All the areas assessed in kindergarten admissions interviews and on the FLI test are skills your child needs to succeed in kindergarten. Preparation can help your child be admitted to the school of your choice and flourish in their kindergarten year and beyond.
Improve your child’s chances of maximizing their kindergarten interview skills and FLI test results. Stephanie has been helping NYC preschoolers gain admission to kindergarten for over 20 years. As a speech-language pathologist with over 30 years of experience, she understands the demanding language skills children are expected to demonstrate. If you have concerns or wish to improve your child’s performance, please complete the form at the bottom of this page. You can also email Stephanie Sigal at sigalstephanie@gmail.com. Stephanie looks forward to hearing from you!