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
New Report Asks: Why Does Progressive New York City Have Larger Student Achievement Gaps?
achievement gap · New York City

New Report Asks: Why Does Progressive New York City Have Larger Student Achievement Gaps?

Alina Adams2 Comments

I have a confession to make: I’ve always been confused by New York City calling itself “progressive” when it comes to education. To me, progressive means moving forward, implementing new, bold, downright radical ideas, bucking the status quo and breaking down old – especially failed – systems. Yet when it comes to educational policy, NYC… Continue reading New Report Asks: Why Does Progressive New York City Have Larger Student Achievement Gaps?

NYC School Application Law: Anything That Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong
Accountability · DOE Fails · New York City

NYC School Application Law: Anything That Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong

Alina Adams1 Comment

It’s Kindergarten application season in NYC! Four year olds are being interviewed for Hunter College Elementary School and getting tested for public school Gifted & Talented programs while their parents are navigating the online portal to apply them to General Education Kindergarten, which includes zoned, unzoned, magnet, dual language options and more. Last year, we… Continue reading NYC School Application Law: Anything That Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong

Top 20 NYC Education Stories To Follow In 2020
Accountability · Finding the Right School · New York City

Top 20 NYC Education Stories To Follow In 2020

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A new year doesn’t mean an end to New York City’s education woes. In honor of 2020, we highlight 20 stories which are bound to continue vexing NYC families, ranked by how much traffic they received in 2019: 20:  The Big Con: Why NYC’s Plan For Raising Student Achievement Isn’t Close To Good Enough For… Continue reading Top 20 NYC Education Stories To Follow In 2020

10 NYC Education Stories You May Have Overlooked In 2019 – And Why They Matter
Blog · New York City

10 NYC Education Stories You May Have Overlooked In 2019 – And Why They Matter

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Heading into 2019 and 2018, I wrote about which New York City education issues vexed parents the most based on their post’s popularity. I have another planned for the end of this year: 20 issues for 2020! But, over the past 12 months, there have also been topics that didn’t get the attention they deserved.… Continue reading 10 NYC Education Stories You May Have Overlooked In 2019 – And Why They Matter

Carranza Offers To Accept Accountability…. After He’s Out Of Office?
Accountability · Blog · New York City

Carranza Offers To Accept Accountability…. After He’s Out Of Office?

Alina Adams1 Comment

“All I need is for the legislature to get out of the way, repeal that law and then hold me accountable for the quality of those schools,” New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza boldly proclaimed on Tuesday, November 19 during a Town Hall meeting in the Bronx. He was referring to the Specialized High… Continue reading Carranza Offers To Accept Accountability…. After He’s Out Of Office?

Second Round Shenanigans: Hunter, Special Music School & Other NYC Schools’ Subjective Admissions
arts in schools · Finding the Right School · screened nyc schools

Second Round Shenanigans: Hunter, Special Music School & Other NYC Schools’ Subjective Admissions

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Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he was running for President — as a Democrat, after being elected in NYC first as a Republican, then as an Independent — on Sunday, November 24th. As with other political candidates, I am only going to talk about his education policy record. Here are two major… Continue reading Second Round Shenanigans: Hunter, Special Music School & Other NYC Schools’ Subjective Admissions

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)