arts in schools · Educational Equity · NYC high school · NYC School Admissions · screened nyc schools · specialized high schools · student voices

NYC Student’s Take: Making Education in the Arts More Accessible

(This is a guest post by Vitória Lunardi de Castro, the founder of LaG Portfolio Mentors, a nonprofit program that provides free art portfolio preparation to aspiring students who want to attend New York City art high schools. Originally from Brazil, Vitoria immigrated to the United States at a young age and has since made… Continue reading NYC Student’s Take: Making Education in the Arts More Accessible

admissions · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · New York City · NYC high school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · Parents Helping Parents · School Choice · School Integration

We’re All in This Together: NYC Parents Offer Advice To Other Districts On Using Lottery for High School Admissions

Using a lottery system to determine high school admissions is creating turmoil and strife in Philadelphia, PA and prompting protests from students, parents, and teachers. New York City parents, who have already experienced the roller coaster ride of lottery high school admissions, offer their advice to cities like Philadelphia, as well as Alexandria, VA, San… Continue reading We’re All in This Together: NYC Parents Offer Advice To Other Districts On Using Lottery for High School Admissions

admissions · Educational Equity · NYC high school · NYC School Admissions · School Choice · specialized high schools

Expert Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) Tips

(This is a guest blog by Lisa Speransky, the founder of Ivy Tutors Network, a mission-driven private education company and proud vendor to department of education schools. For over 20 years, IVY has empowered students to succeed through personalized education and mentorship – because the right team makes all the difference!)  Each year, approximately 30,000… Continue reading Expert Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) Tips

New York City · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · Parents Helping Parents · School Choice · Teaching in NYC

Project Based Elementary School Pivots To Teacher-Led/Parent-Owned Model: Could It Work For Your Child?

(This is a guest post by Amanda Reeves Fellner, Ed.D. Amanda is a mom of a first grader at Portfolio School and is committed to project-based learning as a method for elementary education. She is also a Lecturer in the Early Childhood Program at Teachers College, Columbia University where she works with pre-service teachers and… Continue reading Project Based Elementary School Pivots To Teacher-Led/Parent-Owned Model: Could It Work For Your Child?

achievement gap · Educational Equity · literacy · NYC Parent Voices · Parents Helping Parents

Is Your Child Learning To Read – Or To Guess?

(This is a guest post by Chad Alderman, NYC dad and the creator of ReadNotGuess.com, a program that sends short email lessons to help parents support and monitor their child’s early reading progress.) My 3rd grade son was reading to me recently when he came to the word “gargoyle.” Except he didn’t read it correctly.… Continue reading Is Your Child Learning To Read – Or To Guess?

Accountability · achievement gap · Advanced Placement · arts in schools · Educational Equity · NYC high school · Parents Helping Parents

Is the ‘Fame’ School Gonna Live Forever? Not Under This Principal!

(The author of this guest post wishes to remain anonymous.) The “Fame” school is not “gonna live forever”; that is, not if the current principal has anything to say about it. Since her arrival at LaGuardia High School in September 2019, Principal Yeou-Jey Vasconcelos has been on an anti-academics, anti-merit crusade, despite the alleged “dual… Continue reading Is the ‘Fame’ School Gonna Live Forever? Not Under This Principal!

Accountability · admissions · DOE Screw Ups · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · preK · School Waitlists

The UPK Seat That ‘Just Disappeared’ & the NYC Mom Who Fought Back!

(This is a guest post by Irina B., an NYC mom just starting on her public school journey.) My daughter, Ava, was offered a public pre-K spot at PS 347. We accepted our offer in May, got a call from the school, toured it and confirmed our acceptance with the below email From: noreply@myschools.nyc Subject:… Continue reading The UPK Seat That ‘Just Disappeared’ & the NYC Mom Who Fought Back!

Finding the Right School · NYC high school · NYC Kindergarten · NYC middle school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · Parents Helping Parents

Parents Reveal What It Would Take To Get Them Back Into NYC Public Schools

According to Chalkbeat: Overall, K-12 enrollment has dropped by 9.5% since the pandemic began. Officials are expecting 30,000 fewer K-12 students to be on the rolls this fall compared to last year.  In this most recent school year, three-quarters of schools saw fewer students, a Chalkbeat analysis previously found. Enrollment of Black and white students… Continue reading Parents Reveal What It Would Take To Get Them Back Into NYC Public Schools

admissions · DOE Fails · DOE Screw Ups · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · New York City · NYC high school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · Parents Helping Parents · School Waitlists

NYC Mom Exposes School Admissions Deception

It’s been a long, arduous, and stressful New York City public school admissions season. And, unfortunately, it’s not over yet. The Department of Education (DOE) has now pushed admissions to public Gifted & Talented programs for grades Kindergarten through 3rd to “late July.” Meanwhile, families of rising 9th graders are still hoping for a seat… Continue reading NYC Mom Exposes School Admissions Deception

Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · homeschooling · NYC high school · NYC middle school · School Choice · student voices · transferring schools

Students Helping Students: Want To Pursue an Alternative Educational Path? I’ll Help You Do It! Ask Me Anything!

From Alina Adams: When my son, Gregory Wickham, convinced me to let him drop out of Stuyvesant High School and homeschool himself, one of my major conditions was that he do all of the work himself. Since then, due to both changes in the NYC public gifted, middle, and high school admissions system, and families’… Continue reading Students Helping Students: Want To Pursue an Alternative Educational Path? I’ll Help You Do It! Ask Me Anything!