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Straight From the Trenches: Parents Report What Really Happened During NYC’s First Days Of School
achievement gap · Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · DOE incompetence · DOE Screw Ups · educational equity · Hybrid Learning · NYC Parent Voices · online learning · remote learning

Straight From the Trenches: Parents Report What Really Happened During NYC’s First Days Of School

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Even though they had six months to plan for re-opening New York City’s schools, Mayor Bill De Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza still insisted on doing everything at the last minute.  Schools were supposed to begin remote learning for all on Wednesday, September 16, and blended/hybrid for those who chose it on Monday, September 21. … Continue reading Straight From the Trenches: Parents Report What Really Happened During NYC’s First Days Of School

Lost Scores, Retests & The Current State of Gifted & Talented Programs in NYC Schools
admissions · Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · DOE incompetence · DOE Screw Ups · Gifted & Talented · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · online learning · remote learning · School Waitlists

Lost Scores, Retests & The Current State of Gifted & Talented Programs in NYC Schools

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Last May, I reported on how the Department of Education lost dozens of Gifted & Talented tests — and waited almost four months to inform families (after weeks of telling them the tests weren’t lost, the parents must have done something wrong!). Retests were offered to those affected along with students new to New York… Continue reading Lost Scores, Retests & The Current State of Gifted & Talented Programs in NYC Schools

The (Last Minute) Plans of Mice and Men… and NYC Schools
Accountability · Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · DOE incompetence · Hybrid Learning · NYC Schools Reopening · online learning · remote learning · UFT

The (Last Minute) Plans of Mice and Men… and NYC Schools

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Mayor Bill De Blasio officially shut down New York City public schools as of Monday, March 16, 2020. Since then, he and School Chancellor Richard Carranza have had over five months to plan for how to reopen them in September. In July, they announced that families would have a choice: They could opt to continue… Continue reading The (Last Minute) Plans of Mice and Men… and NYC Schools

Getting Into NYC Kindergarten 2021: COVID-19 Edition
Blog · coronavirus · Gifted & Talented · NYC Kindergarten

Getting Into NYC Kindergarten 2021: COVID-19 Edition

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

New York City parents have lots of questions about schools in September 2020: Remote Or Hybrid Instruction? Who Will Teach My Children? If We Leave Now, Will Our Children Be Allowed To Return To Their Public Schools Later? Not to mention: Whatever happened with those lost G&T Scores? But, because this is New York City,… Continue reading Getting Into NYC Kindergarten 2021: COVID-19 Edition

Demand #InternetForAll for 15 Million Students Who Are #LoggedOut
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Demand #InternetForAll for 15 Million Students Who Are #LoggedOut

Digital Team1 Comment

On Wednesday, August 26, education activists and organizations around the country are staging a national day of action, demanding that every student have access to broadband internet.  Back in March, more than 50 million schoolchildren were forced to learn from home. At least 15 million of them (nearly a third) were unable to log on… Continue reading Demand #InternetForAll for 15 Million Students Who Are #LoggedOut

America’s Toxic Relationship With Teachers
Blog · coronavirus · NYC Teacher · NYC Teacher Voices

America’s Toxic Relationship With Teachers

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

America hates teachers. There’s no other way to put it. I’m not interested in massaging language to say what is quite obvious to me and so many of my fellow teachers — especially when nobody cares to massage their language when they’re out there bashing us! America has a very toxic relationship with teachers and… Continue reading America’s Toxic Relationship With Teachers

NYC Parents To Department of Ed: Who Will Teach My Children?
Blog · coronavirus · Hybrid Learning · NYC Schools · NYC Teacher · remote learning

NYC Parents To Department of Ed: Who Will Teach My Children?

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

As soon as New York City public schools switched to remote learning in March 2020, the narrative was set: All teachers and administrators are heroes now. Any dissent, whether it came from run of the mill parents or a Pulitzer Prize-winning one was labeled: Teacher Bashing. Taking the name-calling in stride (not my first time… Continue reading NYC Parents To Department of Ed: Who Will Teach My Children?

It’s Not a Plot, It’s Incompetence: Is the NYC Department of Ed Deliberately Undermining Some Schools?
Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · Gifted & Talented · NYC School Admissions · specialized high schools

It’s Not a Plot, It’s Incompetence: Is the NYC Department of Ed Deliberately Undermining Some Schools?

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Even before COVID-19 struck in earnest, the 2019-2020 school year seemed more riddled with screw ups than usual (and that’s saying something). There were the traditional Parent Portal malfunctions when it came to applying kids to every grade level, from Universal Pre-K through High School.  Mayor Bill De Blasio first refused to close schools in… Continue reading It’s Not a Plot, It’s Incompetence: Is the NYC Department of Ed Deliberately Undermining Some Schools?

Teachers Union Prez Says NYC Schools Have Been Fixed—But For Whom?
Accountability · Blog · educational equity · NYC Schools

Teachers Union Prez Says NYC Schools Have Been Fixed—But For Whom?

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(This is a guest post by Matthew Ladner, executive editor of redefinED. He has written numerous studies on school choice, charter schools and special education reform, and his articles have appeared in Education Next; the Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice; and the British Journal of Political Science. He is a graduate of… Continue reading Teachers Union Prez Says NYC Schools Have Been Fixed—But For Whom?

Are All Teachers Equally Good? What Parents Can Learn From Watching Their Child’s Remote Instruction
Accountability · Blog · coronavirus · educational equity · online learning · remote learning

Are All Teachers Equally Good? What Parents Can Learn From Watching Their Child’s Remote Instruction

Alina Adams2 Comments

When speaking about what was learned regarding teaching and studying in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Robert Pondisco summarized the situation nicely in this tweet:  The lessons of the past few months are that everything works for someone, nothing works for everyone, and that the well-resourced and motivated student—or one with engaged and pushy parents—has… Continue reading Are All Teachers Equally Good? What Parents Can Learn From Watching Their Child’s Remote Instruction