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

Alina Adams1 Comment

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

NYC Mom Exposes School Admissions Deception
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

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

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

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

Gregory WickhamLeave a comment

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!

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

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(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

Plan B: Alternatives For NYC Parents Unhappy With Their Public School 2022 Options
admissions · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC high school · NYC Kindergarten · NYC middle school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · Parents Helping Parents · School Choice · screened nyc schools

Plan B: Alternatives For NYC Parents Unhappy With Their Public School 2022 Options

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

Changes in admissions for New York City public middle and high schools have left many parents on edge, wondering what choices their children will have for September 2022. Meanwhile, the families of younger children are still waiting for word on whether there will even be a Gifted & Talented elementary option moving forward. (Read our… Continue reading Plan B: Alternatives For NYC Parents Unhappy With Their Public School 2022 Options

Why I REALLY Sent My Daughter to a ‘Diverse’ Public School
achievement gap · admissions · Advanced Placement · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · NYC high school · NYC middle school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · School Choice · school diversity · School Integration

Why I REALLY Sent My Daughter to a ‘Diverse’ Public School

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

The New York City Department of Education defines racially representative schools as “those that enroll between 50 percent and 90 percent black and Hispanic students.”  By that definition, the public high school my sons attended, even though it was only 18 percent white, was still not diverse. That’s because it was also 71 percent Asian. … Continue reading Why I REALLY Sent My Daughter to a ‘Diverse’ Public School

NYC Middle School Admissions 2022: Changes… and Hypocrisy
admissions · coronavirus · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC middle school · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · school diversity · School Integration · screened nyc schools

NYC Middle School Admissions 2022: Changes… and Hypocrisy

Alina AdamsLeave a comment

In 2019, Brooklyn’s District 15 unscreened all of their middle schools, meaning incoming 6th graders couldn’t be assessed for admission via grades, test scores, portfolios or interviews. All schools now had to accept students exclusively by lottery. Yes, even the arts schools. Before any classes selected via this method had graduated, before any classes selected… Continue reading NYC Middle School Admissions 2022: Changes… and Hypocrisy

What We Know So Far: Applying to NYC Schools for 2022
admissions · Finding the Right School · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · Parents Helping Parents · School Choice · School Waitlists

What We Know So Far: Applying to NYC Schools for 2022

Alina Adams1 Comment

Anywhere else in the country (the world?), the idea that New York City families start worrying about where their children will attend school over a full year in advance is considered insane. But that’s when the official process starts here. NYC private schools put up their applications as early as August, but no later than… Continue reading What We Know So Far: Applying to NYC Schools for 2022

5 Things I’m Thankful For This Year (NYC Schools Edition)
admissions · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · homeschooling · NYC Election · NYC Parent Voices · School Choice

5 Things I’m Thankful For This Year (NYC Schools Edition)

Alina Adams1 Comment

With Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, it’s a logical time to think about what I’m thankful for this year when it comes to New York City schools. This is a personal list. I’m not going to get into the pros and cons of broader issues such as school reopenings, vaccine mandates, masking kids, or the… Continue reading 5 Things I’m Thankful For This Year (NYC Schools Edition)

NYC Cuts Gifted School Programs, Unveils New Approach Proven To Fail Poor & Minority Students Most
admissions · Finding the Right School · Gifted & Talented · NYC Kindergarten · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · School Choice · School Integration

NYC Cuts Gifted School Programs, Unveils New Approach Proven To Fail Poor & Minority Students Most

Alina Adams3 Comments

On Friday, October 8, 2021 (right before a long holiday weekend, as per usual), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio decreed that Gifted and Talented programming would be discontinued in public schools as of September 2022. (Remember that engagement he promised with families and communities to hear their thoughts on the matter? Didn’t happen.)… Continue reading NYC Cuts Gifted School Programs, Unveils New Approach Proven To Fail Poor & Minority Students Most