Alina Adams

Alina Adams is a New York City mom of 3 school-age children and a New York Times best-selling author of soap-opera tie-ins, figure-skating mysteries and romance novels. She is a contributing writer to TODAY Show Parenting, Mommy Poppins, BlogHer, Red Tricycle, Café Mom, and Kveller. After going through the NYC school application process with her own children and realizing just how convoluted, Draconian and needlessly complex it was, Alina resolved to help make all parents aware of all their school choices—and how to get them—via her books, “Getting Into NYC Kindergarten” and “Getting Into NYC High-School,” as well as her podcast, “NYC School Secrets: Parents Helping Parents.” Read more and listen at: www.NYCSchoolSecrets.com
You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant! NYC Mandates All Districts Must Have a Diversity Plan
Blog · New York City

You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant! NYC Mandates All Districts Must Have a Diversity Plan

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Last week, I reported on one national and one statewide proposal to improve America’s educational outcomes post the depressing results from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NEAP) report card. This week, we look at what’s being considered on the local level. In New York City, improving outcomes for over one million schoolchildren does not… Continue reading You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant! NYC Mandates All Districts Must Have a Diversity Plan

It’s About Time: Education’s Latest Magic Bullets
New York City

It’s About Time: Education’s Latest Magic Bullets

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A pair of structural changes, one statewide, one nationwide, have been introduced as part of the ongoing hunt for that magic bullet to cure America’s learning woes. And not a moment too soon. The 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports came out last month. Nationwide, on average, math scores went up for 4th… Continue reading It’s About Time: Education’s Latest Magic Bullets

School Choice Goes to the Movies: The Sequel!
Blog · Finding the Right School · New York City · School Choice

School Choice Goes to the Movies: The Sequel!

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Just in time for Democratic Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren to unveil her education plan severely limiting school options for low-income families, and the release of 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress test scores in math and English (spoiler: New York City stayed flat overall and went down in math), comes Miss Virginia, a movie about… Continue reading School Choice Goes to the Movies: The Sequel!

The Spooky Case Of the Mysterious, Missing SHSAT Tickets: Parents Sound Off On Department Of Education Incompetence (Part #3)
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School · New York City · School Choice

The Spooky Case Of the Mysterious, Missing SHSAT Tickets: Parents Sound Off On Department Of Education Incompetence (Part #3)

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In late 2018, the New York City Department Of Education (DOE) unveiled their brand new, online Parent Portal, MySchools, which was supposed to make applying to all levels of the school system — Universal Pre-K, Kindergarten, Gifted & Talented, Middle and High School — more streamlined, efficient, and convenient. In 2019, some parents couldn’t register.… Continue reading The Spooky Case Of the Mysterious, Missing SHSAT Tickets: Parents Sound Off On Department Of Education Incompetence (Part #3)

Ditch “Gifted” Testing & Accelerate Any Child Who Wants It? NYC Parents Weigh In!
Finding the Right School · New York City · School Choice

Ditch “Gifted” Testing & Accelerate Any Child Who Wants It? NYC Parents Weigh In!

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Earlier this month, I offered A Modest Proposal for Turning NYC School Admissions Upside Down – & Letting Parents Decide the Education They Want For Their Kids. The gist of it boiled down to: What if … A computer algorithm more sophisticated than the one in use now aggregated students by interest and location to… Continue reading Ditch “Gifted” Testing & Accelerate Any Child Who Wants It? NYC Parents Weigh In!

All We Hear Is Radio Ga-Ga: Is Anyone Really Listening When It Comes To NYC Schools?
Blog · School Choice

All We Hear Is Radio Ga-Ga: Is Anyone Really Listening When It Comes To NYC Schools?

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Last week, I wrote about The Surprising Integration Skeptics of NYC (It’s Not Who You Think). As one mom on the Lower East Side advised, “Integration activists need to touch base with people they are trying to help” when it comes to proposed school rezoning and mergers. This week, we’re headed uptown for a hearing… Continue reading All We Hear Is Radio Ga-Ga: Is Anyone Really Listening When It Comes To NYC Schools?

The Surprising Integration Sceptics Of NYC (It’s Not Who You Think!)
Blog

The Surprising Integration Sceptics Of NYC (It’s Not Who You Think!)

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As the 2018-2019 school year came to an end last June, incoming families at East Village Community School (EVCS), a progressive Pre-K to 5th grade elementary school in New York City’s unzoned District 1 where state test scores place it at #5 in the District, received the following email from Principal Bradley Goodman (excerpted below):… Continue reading The Surprising Integration Sceptics Of NYC (It’s Not Who You Think!)

Follow the Money and See Where It Goes: NYC Schools Edition.
Blog · Finding the Right School · School Choice

Follow the Money and See Where It Goes: NYC Schools Edition.

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On Monday, September 23, the Community Education Council of Brooklyn’s School District #16 (Bedford-Stuyvesant) voted to ask New York City to get rid of all Gifted & Talented programs as advised by the Student Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG). There was the by now familiar rhetoric of how District #16’s schools are not racially or socio-economically… Continue reading Follow the Money and See Where It Goes: NYC Schools Edition.

3 Things NYC Can Do TODAY To Integrate Public High Schools!
Blog · Finding the Right School

3 Things NYC Can Do TODAY To Integrate Public High Schools!

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I give up. New York City School Chancellor Richard Carranza has decreed that the most important issue facing our public high schools isn’t that close to 80% of students aren’t graduating college-ready, SAT scores are well below the national average, or there’s a  lack of access to Advanced Placement (AP) classes. No, according to the… Continue reading 3 Things NYC Can Do TODAY To Integrate Public High Schools!

What’s “Enrichment,” Anyway? Can It Really Replace Gifted & Talented Programs?
Blog · Finding the Right School

What’s “Enrichment,” Anyway? Can It Really Replace Gifted & Talented Programs?

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When I give my Getting Into NYC Kindergarten workshops to community organizations, I explain the differences between New York City’s two types of Gifted & Talented programs. The five Citywide G&T’s are Accelerated. That means that, because there is no such thing as a G&T curriculum, these schools take the standard NYC school curriculum and… Continue reading What’s “Enrichment,” Anyway? Can It Really Replace Gifted & Talented Programs?