Finding the Right School

Finding the right school is one of the most important decisions parents and families make for their kids, but it can sometimes be the hardest, especially in New York City.

Parents Helping Parents – When the Department of Ed Won’t (Gifted & Talented Edition)
Blog · Finding the Right School

Parents Helping Parents – When the Department of Ed Won’t (Gifted & Talented Edition)

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It’s been an extremely difficult season for New York City public schools admissions. The new Parent Portal found novel and exciting ways to malfunction. Placements would appear and disappear. Results were posted for high school and Gifted & Talented admission, only to be nullified and families informed they weren’t official. One parent shared with me:… Continue reading Parents Helping Parents – When the Department of Ed Won’t (Gifted & Talented Edition)

True Equality Means Everyone Is Equally Unhappy
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School

True Equality Means Everyone Is Equally Unhappy

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New York City public middle school placement decisions were distributed to students just before Spring Break 2019. For months leading up to the big day, parents had been hearing about how this would be the season of true equality in school admissions. But did that, in fact, happen? The headlines trumpeted: Two NYC districts embarked… Continue reading True Equality Means Everyone Is Equally Unhappy

The Privilege (and Cost) Of Being “Well-Rounded.”
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School

The Privilege (and Cost) Of Being “Well-Rounded.”

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About a year ago, I asked: Is an ‘Unenriched’ Spring Break Worth Living? I confessed that, despite offers flooding my inbox to sign my kids up for coding camp or a writing workshop or test prep, I was tired. So, over Spring Break, we did… nothing. In New York City, admitting you let a child… Continue reading The Privilege (and Cost) Of Being “Well-Rounded.”

“Why Would the Mayor Want to Block Me and Other Parents From Knowing Our Public School Options?” Parents Speak Out.
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School · School Choice

“Why Would the Mayor Want to Block Me and Other Parents From Knowing Our Public School Options?” Parents Speak Out.

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StudentsFirstNY reports that dozens of public charter school parents from across New York City rallied outside the NYC Department of Education in support of a longstanding City initiative that allows charter schools to mail flyers to prospective families. New York City has a model program where it protects parent privacy so that no school has… Continue reading “Why Would the Mayor Want to Block Me and Other Parents From Knowing Our Public School Options?” Parents Speak Out.

Myths Vs. Facts on NYC DOE’s Threat to Limit Parent Information About Public School Options for Their Children.
Accountability · Finding the Right School

Myths Vs. Facts on NYC DOE’s Threat to Limit Parent Information About Public School Options for Their Children.

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This is a fact sheet from the New York City Charter School Center that counters myths with facts about the DeBlasio Administration’s threat to block charter schools’ access to Vanguard, the city Department of Education’s direct-mail vendor. Without access, NYC families will have a far more difficult time making public school choices for their children.… Continue reading Myths Vs. Facts on NYC DOE’s Threat to Limit Parent Information About Public School Options for Their Children.

The Butterfly Effect: Good and Bad News About Your NYC Public School Waitlist
Blog · Finding the Right School

The Butterfly Effect: Good and Bad News About Your NYC Public School Waitlist

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Spring is a major holding pattern for New York City families. Middle school placement, Universal Pre-K, and Gifted & Talented scores are due “any minute.” Kindergarten General Education, charter schools, and high school offers are out. But the process is far from over. High schools hold a Second Round for those unhappy with their initial… Continue reading The Butterfly Effect: Good and Bad News About Your NYC Public School Waitlist

How It Really Works: Behind the Scenes of a NYC Public School Waitlist & More Parent Portal Glitches!
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School · School Choice

How It Really Works: Behind the Scenes of a NYC Public School Waitlist & More Parent Portal Glitches!

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

New York City families who’d been ripping their hair out for over two months finally learned where their children had been placed for General Education public school kindergarten on March 28th. The results had been posted for nearly a full day before the Department of Education notified anxiously waiting parents that they were available. When… Continue reading How It Really Works: Behind the Scenes of a NYC Public School Waitlist & More Parent Portal Glitches!

The Sorting Hat: How NYC’s Kindergarten Admission Really Works
Accountability · Finding the Right School

The Sorting Hat: How NYC’s Kindergarten Admission Really Works

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Last week, I received the following email from a parent: I‘m being told by the parent coordinator at our zoned school (PS 11Q) that general ed school choice is not real, and my child will be attending the zoned school no matter what I ranked. The PS 11Q parent coordinator did not schedule any open… Continue reading The Sorting Hat: How NYC’s Kindergarten Admission Really Works

How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth It Is To Have Ungrateful NYC Families!
Finding the Right School

How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth It Is To Have Ungrateful NYC Families!

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

On Monday, March 3, 2019, the Board of Trustees for the State University of New York approved 13 new charter school applications. However, only 7 of those will be allowed to open, due to the charter cap. Among them is a new middle school for Manhattan’s District 3 (Upper West Side and parts of Harlem)… Continue reading How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth It Is To Have Ungrateful NYC Families!

Universal Pre-K Closes Without Warning, Kids Left With Nowhere To Go: Parents Tell All!
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School

Universal Pre-K Closes Without Warning, Kids Left With Nowhere To Go: Parents Tell All!

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

I’ve been keeping a close eye on New York City’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program since Mayor Bill de Blasio first triumphantly announced his signature initiative in 2014. I read every press release about what would happen… and compared it to what actually happened. I explained why, despite posters insisting it was so, UPK was neither… Continue reading Universal Pre-K Closes Without Warning, Kids Left With Nowhere To Go: Parents Tell All!