NYC Cuts Gifted School Programs, Unveils New Approach Proven To Fail Poor & Minority Students Most
admissions · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC Kindergarten · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · School Choice · School Integration

NYC Cuts Gifted School Programs, Unveils New Approach Proven To Fail Poor & Minority Students Most

Alina Adams2 Comments

On Friday, October 8, 2021 (right before a long holiday weekend, as per usual), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio decreed that Gifted and Talented programming would be discontinued in public schools as of September 2022. (Remember that engagement he promised with families and communities to hear their thoughts on the matter? Didn’t happen.)… Continue reading NYC Cuts Gifted School Programs, Unveils New Approach Proven To Fail Poor & Minority Students Most

Testing Center Makes Up Rules to Prevent Black Teen From Earning High School Equivalency Diploma (Part #1)
Accountability · Educational Equity · homeschooling · student voices

Testing Center Makes Up Rules to Prevent Black Teen From Earning High School Equivalency Diploma (Part #1)

Gregory WickhamLeave a comment

The TASC is the high school equivalency exam used by New York State. It replaced the GED in 2014. As I have been homeschooling myself, I decided that it was time to take the TASC. Unfortunately, registering to take it was more complicated than registering for any other exam I’ve ever taken, including the Advanced… Continue reading Testing Center Makes Up Rules to Prevent Black Teen From Earning High School Equivalency Diploma (Part #1)

NYC Vaccine Mandate Doesn’t Stop Teachers Protesting Or Parents Debating
coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher Voices · Parents Helping Parents · Teacher Voices · Teaching in NYC · UFT

NYC Vaccine Mandate Doesn’t Stop Teachers Protesting Or Parents Debating

Alina Adams1 Comment

New York City’s vaccine mandate, which required anyone who works in a public school or a community-based center contracted by the Department of Education (DOE) to have gotten at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to continue working, finally went into effect on Monday, October 4, 2021. Although Mayor Bill de Blasio… Continue reading NYC Vaccine Mandate Doesn’t Stop Teachers Protesting Or Parents Debating

NYC Student On Importance of Having the Right Guide on the Road to College
achievement gap · Educational Equity · student voices

NYC Student On Importance of Having the Right Guide on the Road to College

nyschooltalkLeave a comment

(This is a guest post by Rova Raveloson, who was a student at Townsend Harris High School. He is now a sophomore at Vassar College where he is exploring the intersection of Economics and Chinese in International Economics. At Vassar, Raveloson is spearheading a potential video game design start-up with his friends, focusing on gamifying… Continue reading NYC Student On Importance of Having the Right Guide on the Road to College

Vaccine Mandates, New Quarantine & COVID Testing Rules: NYC Parents React
coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents · UFT

Vaccine Mandates, New Quarantine & COVID Testing Rules: NYC Parents React

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

New York City public schools reopened on Monday, September 13. Despite the demands of some parents for a remote option – and a threat to keep their children home in protest – those who lobbied for in-person only carried the day. Immediately, I heard from families: SS: DOE’s Health screening app that parents must submit… Continue reading Vaccine Mandates, New Quarantine & COVID Testing Rules: NYC Parents React

NYC Educator Says, “Enough! Who Will Teach Our Neediest Children?”
coronavirus · Educational Equity · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher · NYC Teacher Voices · preK · Teaching in NYC · UFT

NYC Educator Says, “Enough! Who Will Teach Our Neediest Children?”

Chloe Pashman1 Comment

I am exhausted. Stressed. Frustrated. Sad. The “back and forth” with the vaccine mandate for educational staff is just ridiculous. Three days before the “official“ start of school, the mayor proclaimed that CBO Pre-K teachers and staff who were contracted with the DOE would have NO testing option. We would be forced to get the… Continue reading NYC Educator Says, “Enough! Who Will Teach Our Neediest Children?”

Parents Stand Up For Teachers In Possible NYC School Covid Strike
coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher Voices · Parents Helping Parents · School Attendance Policy · School Budget · Teacher Voices · Teaching in NYC · UFT

Parents Stand Up For Teachers In Possible NYC School Covid Strike

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Earlier this week, we printed a post from New York City public school parents willing to go on strike to demand a remote learning options for their children, and from those who insisted it wasn’t necessary and would only make the upcoming year worse. One incensed parent wrote me: TM: Parents are afraid of unvaccinated… Continue reading Parents Stand Up For Teachers In Possible NYC School Covid Strike

NYC Parents Against Any Remote Schooling Option
coronavirus · Educational Equity · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · online learning · Parents Helping Parents

NYC Parents Against Any Remote Schooling Option

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Yesterday, we wrote about parents threatening to strike on the first day of New York City public school — and beyond — because they don’t trust the Department of Education to protect their children’s health. They demand a remote schooling option until Covid, including the Delta variant, is no longer a threat. We heard from… Continue reading NYC Parents Against Any Remote Schooling Option

Will NYC Parents Strike On the First Day Of School – And Beyond?
coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher · online learning · Parents Helping Parents · remote learning · School Attendance Policy · School Budget · School Choice

Will NYC Parents Strike On the First Day Of School – And Beyond?

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Despite last week’s City Council hearing on the September 13, 2021 return to school plans, where Education Committee Chair Mark Treyger and a cohort of parents advocated for a remote education option, Mayor Bill de Blasio and School Chancellor Meisha Porter insisted that, save for listed medical exceptions*, all students, vaccinated or not, would be… Continue reading Will NYC Parents Strike On the First Day Of School – And Beyond?

Where’s the Transparency? Behind the Scenes With NYC Public School Waitlists – And What Families Can Still Do To Get In!
admissions · Gifted & Talented · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · School Waitlists

Where’s the Transparency? Behind the Scenes With NYC Public School Waitlists – And What Families Can Still Do To Get In!

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

This past May, I wrote a post called, How NYC School Waitlists Work – And How They Don’t. What I should have called it was How NYC School Waitlists Are SUPPOSED To Work. Consider this post to be the And How They Don’t part (with tips on what you can still do about that). 2021… Continue reading Where’s the Transparency? Behind the Scenes With NYC Public School Waitlists – And What Families Can Still Do To Get In!