NYC’s 5th and 8th graders must take spring’s state tests on computers. Are schools ready?
New York City’s fifth and eighth graders will have to take this spring’s state tests — for English, math, and science — on computers, giving schools a nine-month runway to prepare 140,000 students to make the switch from pen and paper. A substantial amount of work may be ahead to ensure the transition goes smoothly. […]
College funds for NYC’s kindergartners: How to get and give seed money for higher education
In January, all New York City’s public school kindergartners will receive a seed investment of $100 in their city-sponsored college savings accounts. It’s the second year that 5-year-olds citywide will automatically get the NYC Scholarship Accounts — a giant experiment aiming to help thousands of families who historically have faced steep barriers to postsecondary education. […]
In preschool, one size doesn’t fit all. So why is NYC asking early educators to use a single curriculum?
This past year, a child in my preK class had major surgery and was out for several weeks. When he returned, we transformed a corner of the classroom into a doctor’s office. He played there every day for a week, administering bandages and shots to his curious patients. The nearby water table became a place […]
NYC promises affordable child care to undocumented families through voucher program
Next month, New York City will begin providing subsidized child care to low-income, undocumented families, who typically can’t access such services because of their immigration status. The $10 million initiative, called Promise NYC, is expected to serve 600 children over the next six months, city officials announced Wednesday. It also aims to help the influx […]
Treat Teachers Like Human Beings to Avoid Burnout
To the Editor: With respect to the essay, “5 Strategies to Empower Teachers to Be Leaders” (March 28, 2023), these strategies are ideal … in a perfect world. I am an educator for the New York City school district and an aspiring administrator. The essay shares excellent strategies that can be employed in places where nepotism […]
Google internships, data analytics course may soon be available at some NYC schools
Want to get certified in data analytics before you graduate high school? Thanks to a new partnership between New York City schools and Google, students at some schools around the five boroughs may soon be able to. The tech industry giant will serve as the first tech-anchor employer partner for FutureReadyNYC, a career-readiness initiative that […]
NYC often segregates students with significant disabilities. This new school aims to change that.
Outfitted with paper chef hats, a group of students at Brooklyn’s P.S. 958 were getting ready on a recent afternoon to launch a mock restaurant, wiggling on the classroom carpet in anticipation of their first wave of customers. The students had been preparing since February, touring their surrounding Sunset Park neighborhood to learn what types […]
New York wants to revamp how schools are evaluated. Here’s what could change for now.
How does the state determine whether schools are doing well or if they are struggling and need extra support? Before the pandemic, state officials relied on standardized tests and high school Regents exams to figure out how well students were doing, along with other factors, such as graduation rates. But the public health crisis paused […]
