achievement gap · Diverse Books · Educational Equity · literacy · NYC Teacher Voices · Teacher Voices

School Librarians Are Critical to Students’ Literacy: Why There Should Be One in Every NYC Public School!

(This is a guest post by J.F. (Jenny) Fox, a mother, author, school book committee chairperson, and library advocate. She lives in New York City, where her sons attend public school in Brooklyn. Her books include Friday Night Wrestlefest (Roaring Brook) and the Head-to-Head History series (Kids Can Press). Her website is: jffox.com. Twitter: @bookishfox.… Continue reading School Librarians Are Critical to Students’ Literacy: Why There Should Be One in Every NYC Public School!

achievement gap · admissions · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC Kindergarten · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · School Choice

How NYC Can Implement – And Improve – Gifted & Talented Programs for 2022 and Beyond: A Parent’s Take

(This is a guest post by T. Hunter Dare, the parent of a 6th grader at MS104 where he serves on the School Leadership Team. He is also Co-Chair of PLACE NYC’s G&T Advocacy Team.  Hunter is passionate about developing a public school system that identifies, nurtures, and challenges all advanced learners, particularly those from… Continue reading How NYC Can Implement – And Improve – Gifted & Talented Programs for 2022 and Beyond: A Parent’s Take

Accountability · admissions · arts in schools · Educational Equity · Gifted & Talented · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · Parents Helping Parents · screened nyc schools

Less Than Ethical and Excludes Deserving Students: NYC Mom Files FOIL Request To Review Child’s Admission to Citywide Gifted School

(This is a guest post by Erma Pfeffer. She lives in New York City and is best known as a loving Mom and an Advocate for her two children, eight and nine years old. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her experiences and opinions regarding New York City’s public education system.) I submitted… Continue reading Less Than Ethical and Excludes Deserving Students: NYC Mom Files FOIL Request To Review Child’s Admission to Citywide Gifted School

achievement gap · Educational Equity · student voices

NYC Student On Importance of Having the Right Guide on the Road to College

(This is a guest post by Rova Raveloson, who was a student at Townsend Harris High School. He is now a sophomore at Vassar College where he is exploring the intersection of Economics and Chinese in International Economics. At Vassar, Raveloson is spearheading a potential video game design start-up with his friends, focusing on gamifying… Continue reading NYC Student On Importance of Having the Right Guide on the Road to College

Accountability · admissions · Gifted & Talented · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · Parents Helping Parents

NYC Mom Calls Out Unfairness in 2021 G&T Admissions for 1st-3rd Grade

(This is a guest post by Charleen Ang, working mother to three young children, 2 of whom are of elementary school age currently in the NYC public school system.) When our 4.5 year old son failed to make the cut-off score in last year’s Kindergarten G&T test, my husband & I were not overly concerned… Continue reading NYC Mom Calls Out Unfairness in 2021 G&T Admissions for 1st-3rd Grade

Advanced Placement · Educational Equity · NYC high school

A Brooklyn School Working to Help Students Share Their Own Voices

(This is a guest post by Natasha Cherry-Perez, Senior Associate Director of Community Engagement at Uncommon Schools and super Mom to an outstanding high school student.) In middle school, Ruth Kendall remembered the mathematical expression Pi (3.14) all the way out to 400 digits. She loves numbers so much, the Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School… Continue reading A Brooklyn School Working to Help Students Share Their Own Voices

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

NYC School Drops Popular Gifted & Talented Program: A Parent’s Take

(In our May 10, 2021 post, NYC Endorses Gifted & Talented Approach Determined To Do Least Good For All Students (But Especially Minority and Low Income Ones), we printed an excerpt from a PS 163 parent about their school dropping its G&T program. We now present the letter in its entirety.) On or around June… Continue reading NYC School Drops Popular Gifted & Talented Program: A Parent’s Take

coronavirus · Hybrid Learning · NYC Teacher · NYC Teacher Voices · online learning · remote learning · Social-Emotional Learning · Teacher Voices · Teaching in NYC

Remote Learning: A Tool for Educator Self Assessment

(This is a guest post by Joseph S. Lento, a licensed Teacher of Orchestral Music and School District Administration. In 2014, President Obama named him a National Teacher of Arts and Humanities. Joseph also has commendations from Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. In 1999, he was named NYC Public Schools Bronx County… Continue reading Remote Learning: A Tool for Educator Self Assessment

coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents

NYC Mom Pushes Back Against “Coerced Consent” COVID-19 Testing in Public Schools

(As a coalition of parents and teachers sues the DOE to stop the testing, this is a guest post by Diana Brogan, an attorney but currently stay-at-home mom of two elementary school students. She is PTA President and Executive Committee member of the District Presidents’ Council.) Last Monday morning thousands of New York City public… Continue reading NYC Mom Pushes Back Against “Coerced Consent” COVID-19 Testing in Public Schools

admissions · literacy · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · screened nyc schools

NYC Parent Rails Against “DOE Attack on Literacy in New York City’s Public Schools”

(This is a guest post by M. Baranski, a parent in the NYC public school system.) The DOE’s movement spearheaded by the school chancellor Carranza and encouraged by the Mayor is trying to completely undermine our already barely functioning educational system by eliminating the concept of “education” and merit based achievement from DOE’s agenda.   Carranza,… Continue reading NYC Parent Rails Against “DOE Attack on Literacy in New York City’s Public Schools”