Mark Twain Talent Test 2026-27: Dates, the Nov 2 Deadline, and How to Apply
To test for Mark Twain I.S. 239 for Fall 2027, your current 5th grader must be registered for a talent test or audition in MySchools by Monday, November 2, 2026, and the middle school application itself closes Friday, December 11, 2026. In-person testing happens in January 2027 at the school (dates appear in your MySchools account in late December), and offers come out Wednesday, April 7, 2027. Mark Twain (school code 21K239) is a District 21 school in Coney Island, Brooklyn, but its talent programs are citywide: any 5th grader who lives in New York City can apply. Here is the full timeline, which talents test in person and which use a digital portfolio, and exactly what to do in MySchools before the deadline.
TL;DR: Register your 5th grader for the Mark Twain (21K239) or District 21 talent test in MySchools by Mon, Nov 2, 2026. Submit the middle school application and any digital portfolio (Art, Media, Strings, Winds, Vocal) by Fri, Dec 11. Check MySchools in late December for your January in-person test date (Computer/Math, Science, Creative Writing, Drama, Dance). Offers arrive Wed, Apr 7, 2027. Up to two talents per child.
The 2026-27 Mark Twain timeline, date by date
Mark Twain admits students through talent programs, and the calendar has two separate deadlines that families often mix up. The first, and the one most people miss, is the registration deadline on November 2: if your child is not registered to test or audition by then, they cannot sit the talent test, even though the overall application stays open for another five weeks. The second is the application deadline on December 11, which is also the last day to upload digital portfolios for the art and music talents. After that the school schedules in-person testing, and families see their child's date and time inside MySchools in late December. Mark Twain has posted tentative January testing dates, but treat them as tentative until your own account shows a confirmed slot.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Wed, Oct 14, 2026 | Middle school application opens in MySchools |
| Mon, Nov 2, 2026 | Deadline to register to test/audition for Mark Twain (21K239) and District 21 talent tests |
| Fri, Dec 11, 2026 | Application closes; last day to upload Art, Media, Strings, Winds and Vocal portfolios |
| Late Dec 2026 | In-person testing dates appear in your child's MySchools account |
| Jan 2027 (tentative) | In-person talent testing at Mark Twain, 2401 Neptune Ave, Brooklyn. Posted tentative dates: Jan 9, 10, 23, 24, 30, 31 |
| Wed, Apr 7, 2027 | Middle school offers released |
Which talents test in person and which use a portfolio
Mark Twain offers ten talent areas, split by how your child is assessed. Computer/Math, Science, Creative Writing, Drama and Dance are tested in person at the school in January. Art, Media, Strings, Winds and Vocal are judged on a digital portfolio uploaded through MySchools, with no in-person audition, and those uploads are due December 11. Other District 21 middle schools also hold talent testing, including Athletics, and the same November 2 registration deadline applies to the District 21 talent tests. Your child may apply to one or two talent programs: two tests, two auditions, or one of each. Choose carefully. Students who are admitted study their talent for all three years, for up to six periods a week plus possible rehearsals, so the school asks families to pick only talents their child is genuinely committed to.
| Talent area | How it's assessed | Key date |
|---|---|---|
| Computer/Math | In person (paper test, 50 multiple choice) | Jan 2027 |
| Science | In person (paper test, 50 multiple choice) | Jan 2027 |
| Creative Writing | In person | Jan 2027 |
| Drama | In person | Jan 2027 |
| Dance | In person | Jan 2027 |
| Art | Digital portfolio | Upload by Dec 11 |
| Media | Digital portfolio | Upload by Dec 11 |
| Strings | Digital portfolio | Upload by Dec 11 |
| Winds | Digital portfolio | Upload by Dec 11 |
| Vocal | Digital portfolio | Upload by Dec 11 |
| Athletics (other D21 schools) | Tested; date in MySchools | Late Dec notice |
How to register in MySchools, step by step
Everything happens in your child's MySchools account, and Mark Twain staff cannot see or access it, so the school cannot register for you. 1. Get into MySchools. If your child attends an NYC public school and you do not have an account or a creation code, ask the school counselor or parent coordinator. Private, parochial and charter school families can get help at a Family Welcome Center. 2. Register for the talent test or audition (Mark Twain is listed as 21K239) by Monday, November 2. 3. Add your one or two talent programs to the middle school application. 4. For Art, Media, Strings, Winds or Vocal, upload the digital portfolio in MySchools by December 11. 5. Rank all of your middle school choices in true order of preference and submit by December 11. Schools do not see where you ranked them, and your child is considered for each choice in order, so put Mark Twain where you actually want it. 6. In late December, log back in to find the in-person testing date. We have not been able to verify the exact screen names inside MySchools for this cycle, so if a button looks different, call Mark Twain's admissions office at 929-417-2865 (8 am to 2 pm) or your Family Welcome Center before the deadline, not after.
What is actually on the Science and Computer/Math tests
Both academic talent tests are paper-based and have 50 multiple-choice questions. The Science test covers science skills, math, graphing, data analysis, observation, problem solving, reading comprehension, logic, following procedures and critical thinking. In other words, it rewards a child who reads a short passage or a chart carefully and reasons from it, more than one who has memorized facts. The Computer/Math test covers number sense, patterns, logic (loops and conditions), word problems, early algebra, geometry and spatial reasoning, data and probability, algorithms, basic coding and debugging, and computational thinking. No prior coding class is required to understand these ideas, but a child who has never traced a simple loop will meet it for the first time on test day. The school has not published the test length in minutes, the number of seats per talent, or how many children apply per seat, so be wary of anyone quoting those numbers. For a topic-by-topic breakdown, see our guide to the Mark Twain Science and Computer/Math tests.
A calm way to prepare between now and January
You have roughly ten weeks between the registration deadline and the first tentative test date, which is plenty for steady, low-pressure practice. Three short sessions a week works better for a 10-year-old than weekend cram sessions. Start by having your child try a set of questions untimed, then look together at the ones they missed and talk through why, because the explaining is where the learning happens. Since the real tests are on paper, keep scrap paper and a pencil out even when practicing on a screen. MiloMint Learn, part of Milo+, has a Mark Twain prep bank of 250 Science questions and 300 Computer Science questions, with short lessons and a glossary, plus timed full tests and topic practice. Its "Read first" option makes your child read the passage before the answer choices appear, and parents see progress and the specific missed questions to revisit together. It is our own practice material written for these topics, not an official Mark Twain sample test.
Sources: Mark Twain I.S. 239 How to Apply and Testing & Auditions pages, and NYC Public Schools middle school enrollment. Verified October 23, 2026. Dates can change; always confirm in your MySchools account.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Mark Twain test registration deadline for 2026?
Monday, November 2, 2026. You register your child to test or audition for Mark Twain (21K239) and the District 21 talent tests through your MySchools account. The middle school application itself stays open until Friday, December 11, 2026, but missing November 2 means your child cannot test.
When is the Mark Twain talent test date?
In-person testing is in January 2027 at Mark Twain, 2401 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn. The school has posted tentative dates of January 9, 10, 23, 24, 30 and 31. Your child's actual date and time will appear in your MySchools account in late December 2026.
How do you get into Mark Twain Middle School?
Your child must be a current 5th grader living in NYC. Register for one or two talent programs in MySchools by November 2, 2026, submit the middle school application (and any digital portfolio) by December 11, then take the in-person test or audition in January. Offers are released April 7, 2027. Mark Twain does not give sibling or twin priority.
Is I.S. 239 Mark Twain?
Yes. I.S. 239 is Mark Twain, at 2401 Neptune Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Its MySchools code is 21K239, and it is in District 21, but its talent programs accept 5th graders from anywhere in New York City.
What is the District 21 talent test?
District 21 middle schools, including Mark Twain, admit some students through talent testing and auditions in areas like Science, Computer/Math, Creative Writing, Drama, Dance, Athletics and the arts. Registration for the District 21 talent tests closes November 2, 2026, through MySchools, and testing dates appear in your account in late December.
Can my child apply to more than one talent at Mark Twain?
Yes, up to two. Your child can choose two talent tests, two auditions or portfolio talents, or one of each. Admitted students study their talent for all three years, so pick talents your child genuinely enjoys.
What is on the Mark Twain Science and Computer/Math tests?
Each is a paper-based test of 50 multiple-choice questions. Science covers graphing, data analysis, observation, reading comprehension, logic and problem solving; Computer/Math covers number sense, patterns, early algebra, geometry, probability, algorithms, and basic coding and debugging ideas. The school has not published the time limit.
Calm, steady practice for the Mark Twain tests
250 Science and 300 Computer Science practice questions with short lessons, timed tests, and a parent view of what to revisit.
Open MiloMint Learn →SHSAT and Mark Twain practice tests on any computer · Part of Milo+ ($3.99/mo or $29.99/yr) · No ads
Next: see what's on the Mark Twain Science and Computer/Math tests, or if you also have an 8th grader, read the SHSAT 2026 dates and registration guide.
Photos via Pexels: August de Richelieu, Yan Krukau.