Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Did You Know That 28 Percent of New York Students Are Chronically Absent? What’s The Solution?
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Did You Know That 28 Percent of New York Students Are Chronically Absent? What’s The Solution?

Tina PosterliLeave a comment

With a new school year underway, one of the major issues my school district will be tackling is one that is a growing problem across the United States, chronic absenteeism. Since the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act “fifth indicator” mandate of absenteeism, more and more states are tracking and reporting absences, and that is shedding… Continue reading Did You Know That 28 Percent of New York Students Are Chronically Absent? What’s The Solution?

Why Do We Need Standardized Tests?
Accountability

Why Do We Need Standardized Tests?

nyschooltalkLeave a comment

Lane Wright is Director of Policy Analysis at Education Post. He is focused on telling stories that help families understand how their schools are doing, how to make them better, and how policy plays a role. He’s a former journalist and former press secretary to Florida’s governor. Every state uses standardized tests to find out… Continue reading Why Do We Need Standardized Tests?

New York State — Once Again — Tries to Lower Expectations for Students with Disabilities
Accountability · Blog

New York State — Once Again — Tries to Lower Expectations for Students with Disabilities

Laura WatersLeave a comment

Both the New York Times and Chalkbeat report today on the New York State Board of Regents’ decision late yesterday to further lower the bar for students with disabilities. This past September the New York State Board of Regents requested a waiver from the requirements of  the Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA). According to our… Continue reading New York State — Once Again — Tries to Lower Expectations for Students with Disabilities

A Personal Story: Why NYS’s Special Education Waiver Is Bad for Kids
Accountability

A Personal Story: Why NYS’s Special Education Waiver Is Bad for Kids

Laura WatersLeave a comment

When my son Jonah was a few months shy of three years old, our Central New Jersey school district, which had no appropriate programs for a toddler with multiple disabilities, sent him to a county preschool handicapped program. My husband and I were new to the world of special education (our three older children are… Continue reading A Personal Story: Why NYS’s Special Education Waiver Is Bad for Kids

New York State Has a New Education Plan: What Will It Mean For You and Your Kids?
Accountability

New York State Has a New Education Plan: What Will It Mean For You and Your Kids?

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Last Monday, September 11, 2017, New York State submitted its revised Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan to the federal government for approval. The document includes slight tweaks to the standards for Math and English and shorter tests, a change to the way teachers are assessed and certified, and more emphasis on “student growth.” It’s full… Continue reading New York State Has a New Education Plan: What Will It Mean For You and Your Kids?

One Teacher’s Plea for Parental Accountability in Their Child’s Education
Accountability

One Teacher’s Plea for Parental Accountability in Their Child’s Education

Vivett DukesLeave a comment

Accountability is the big buzz word in the realm of education. From the federal government’s level of responsibility for supplying education funding, to each state’s plan for complying with the new law called the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), to students being held responsible  for completing their homework each night, accountability is an integral component… Continue reading One Teacher’s Plea for Parental Accountability in Their Child’s Education

How Honest Is New York State’s Public Education Plan?
Accountability

How Honest Is New York State’s Public Education Plan?

Laura WatersLeave a comment

The New York State Department of Education is in the final throes of tweaking its plan for complying with America’s new school education law called the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In this brave new world of bloated state control and anorexic federal oversight, parents are increasingly dependent on their state’s commitment to honest and… Continue reading How Honest Is New York State’s Public Education Plan?

Is Your Child’s School Safe? The Answer is a Click Away
Accountability · Blog

Is Your Child’s School Safe? The Answer is a Click Away

Laura WatersLeave a comment

Max Eden, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute,  has developed a nifty new tool for parents to determine the safety level of individual schools. Luckily for Gothamites, one of the two cities available is our very own (the other is Los Angeles), chosen specifically for their status as the two largest school districts in… Continue reading Is Your Child’s School Safe? The Answer is a Click Away

Beyond Staples: How Parents Benefit from School Accountability
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Beyond Staples: How Parents Benefit from School Accountability

Laura Waters1 Comment

If you’re a parent like me, at the start of each school year you eagerly learn all about the course content your child will study, the enrichment opportunities available, the field trips your child will take, and the school supplies your child will need as you brace yourself for that evening’s trip to Staples. If… Continue reading Beyond Staples: How Parents Benefit from School Accountability

“Don’t give up. It will get better. Just keep trying”: A Twelve-Year-Old’s Latina’s Support System Is Her Parents
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“Don’t give up. It will get better. Just keep trying”: A Twelve-Year-Old’s Latina’s Support System Is Her Parents

Mariana Lara Lennon1 Comment

Much is written about access, equity, and excellence. But very little is written about dedication, perseverance, and the willingness to succeed, as well as how parental encouragement helps students achieve academic success. Are we creating a weak society where everything gets blamed on the powers that be? Are we creating a society where very little… Continue reading “Don’t give up. It will get better. Just keep trying”: A Twelve-Year-Old’s Latina’s Support System Is Her Parents