(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?
Almost a year ago, when announcing changes to New York City middle and high school admissions, Mayor Bill De Blasio promised that getting rid of appeals and putting in waitlists instead would make it “simple to apply to schools for your kids for the first time in a long time.” School Chancellor Richard Carranza echoed,… Continue reading Waitlists Were Going To Make Getting Into NYC Schools Simpler (Spoiler: They Didn’t)
Are All Teachers Equally Good? What Parents Can Learn From Watching Their Child’s Remote Instruction
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
War metaphors have been flying hot and heavy these past few months, as politicians, statesmen, and journalists search for ways to characterize our fight against COVID-19. They leave ordinary people wondering how we can do our part. What’s COVID-19’s version of Rosie the Riveter, air-raid wardens, victory gardens, collecting scrap metal, rolling bandages, or driving… Continue reading Holding Out For a Hero: How You Can Help Heal NYC (School Edition)
Last week we published a guest post by Tim DeRoche, author of A Fine Line: How Most American Kids Are Kept Out of the Best Public Schools, which asked the question: Do NYC School Zones Violate Federal Law? (Spoiler: He thinks they do.) DeRoche writes: Take a look, for example, at PS 8 Robert Fulton… Continue reading An Inconvenient Truth: The NYC Schools Math Problem Nobody Talks About
(This is a guest post by Tim DeRoche, author of A Fine Line: How Most American Kids Are Kept Out of the Best Public Schools, published on the 66th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling.) The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted issues of educational access in our public schools, since there are stark… Continue reading Do NYC School Zones Violate Federal Law?
(This is a guest post by Dr. Joiselle Cunningham, CEO of Pathways to Creative Industries and Senior Advisor at HERE to HERE. Joiselle previously served in the Obama Administration and received her doctorate from Harvard Graduate School of Education. You can find resources to learn more about trauma informed practices on pathwaystocreativeindustries.com.) We all find… Continue reading Navigating the New Reality: Child and Teen Caregiver Tips for Dealing with COVID-19
Every year, I brace myself. Every year, as soon as it’s time for the New York City Department of Education to take some kind of action, my email box instantly fills up with questions from confused and frustrated parents. This year, it was Thursday, April 23. That was the day the DOE was supposed to… Continue reading The Latest Word on Lost Gifted & Talented Scores
Last week I hammered home one of my favorite points: One educational size doesn’t fit all. This applies to traditional versus progressive learning, ethnocentric classrooms, acceleration, dual language programs, and more. While engaging in my favorite activity of advocating for giving every family what they want, and giving every student what they need, I asked… Continue reading Never Waste a Good Crisis: How NYC Families (And Teachers And Advocates) Can Take Advantage, Too (Part #2)
(The author of this guest post wishes to remain anonymous.) We have all been hearing about looming budget cuts for NYC public schools in the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2020. We also know that September’s students will need a tremendous amount of support, whether they are in buildings or at home. While it may… Continue reading How Upcoming Budget Cuts Might Affect Your Child’s School
