educators

While New York City’s elementary schools undertake a sweeping shift in their approach to teaching reading, a parallel change is quietly unfolding at many high schools. High school superintendents across the city are urging, and in some cases mandating, that schools under their supervision adopt standardized English language arts curriculum, according to principals and district […]

When Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new law last year that would slash class sizes in New York City, praise came in from many quarters. Teachers, along with their union, hailed the move as a victory that would improve classroom conditions and boost learning. Education activists said smaller class sizes would benefit the most vulnerable […]

State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa raised fresh concerns Thursday about a new law that will require New York City to slash class sizes, responding to a Chalkbeat analysis that found that the highest-poverty schools are least likely to benefit. Rosa said the equity implications of the law are “a problem,” as lower-need schools are more […]

President Joe Biden tapped education economist Kirabo Jackson to serve as a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers on Friday. Jackson is well-known in education research circles for his work finding that more money spent on public schools tends to boost student performance. His appointment suggests that Biden will continue to promote […]

Debate over how selective New York City high schools choose their students erupted Wednesday night, as members of a parent advisory group called on the city to adopt more stringent academic screening. The Citywide Council on High Schools, a group of parent representatives from across the five boroughs, considered a slate of recommendations on the […]

Before the pandemic, the district of 7,700 on California’s Central Coast served breakfast and lunch to around a quarter of its students each day. But that percentage shot up during the pandemic, when schools nationwide could give free meals to all kids. And it rose again last year, when California launched the nation’s first statewide […]

Statewide policies like these are new, but the practice of providing universal free meals isn’t. And researchers have been studying this for years. That means we have a good sense of what these state policies will mean for students, families, and schools. In short, research suggests that universal school meal programs accomplish their main goal: […]

A school bus driver strike could disrupt the beginning of the school year, Chancellor David Banks warned parent leaders this week. “We’re currently negotiating with the [Amalgamated Transit Union] around buses and there’s some real concerns around a potential bus strike,” Banks told members of his parent advisory council on Thursday. “Certainly hopeful that we […]