This Brooklyn teacher is making theater more accessible to students with all abilities
A serendipitous subway ride about 20 years ago led Michael Pantone from his acting career to teaching theater at a Brooklyn public school serving children with disabilities. On the No. 2 train, Pantone had run into an actor friend as she headed to direct an after-school theater program for middle school students. She invited Pantone, […]
NYC wants to change the way students learn to read. Here’s how.
Mayor Eric Adams has made literacy a priority, promising to overhaul reading instruction in New York City schools. Educators agree it’s a critical moment. Even before the pandemic, fewer than half of students in grades 3-8 were reading on grade level, according to state tests. Now, interrupted learning has only heightened concerns that students have […]
NYC plans to end school-based COVID testing program this fall, source says
New York City is planning to end its program to administer weekly coronavirus tests to a random sample of students, Chalkbeat has learned, removing one of the last standing campus COVID safety measures. The decision to discontinue on-site PCR testing after summer school ends was communicated internally last month, a source with knowledge of the […]
Laurene Powell Jobs’ XQ is backing 2 new NYC high schools
With his final term winding down, former Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a flashy proposal to open or overhaul dozens of public schools, backed by $15 million from Laurene Powell Jobs’ XQ Institute and the Robin Hood Foundation. Less than six months later, the coronavirus pandemic forced the city’s schools to shut down, pushing the […]
As Eric Adams keeps control over NYC schools, he’s forced to lower class sizes
Mayor Eric Adams won control of New York City’s public schools for two more years, but not without several changes to the system along with a new mandate to lower class sizes by 2027, state lawmakers decided early Friday. Sen. John Liu, a Queens Democrat who helped craft the agreements, described the compromise over mayoral […]
NYC public school families to receive $375 per child for food benefits through federal COVID relief
All New York City public school families regardless of income will receive $375 per child in food benefits to help cover the costs of meals from last summer during the pandemic —whether they attended summer school or not. The state began the rollout this month, with the retroactive benefit being distributed to students enrolled as […]
My U.S. History Regents exam was canceled after a mass shooting. Leaders must focus on removing the real threat.
As the New York State mandated U.S. History Regents exam approached, test preparation was in full swing at Stuyvesant High School, where I am a junior. This year would be the first time this exam was offered since the pandemic hit, and none of us knew what to expect. Stuyvesant held intensive test prep during […]
NYC is launching two virtual schools with a catch: Ninth graders only for now
New York City is moving forward with plans to launch two virtual schools that will serve ninth graders only next year, officials recently revealed. One of the schools will have a “heavy” career and internship focus while the other will be “completely remote,” said Carolyne Quintana, deputy chancellor for teaching and learning, during a virtual […]
