This Queens math teacher started mentoring Ukrainian educators after Russia’s invasion
High school math teacher Larisa Bukalov came to the U.S. with her family 30 years ago as a refugee from Ukraine, when it was part of the Soviet Union. She was 19 at the time. In the eyes of many New Yorkers, she was Russian, which was her first language. How she viewed herself, however, […]
How to support LGBTQ students: New York education officials update guidance
As some states pass anti-LGBTQ legislation, New York state education officials have moved in the opposite direction, issuing new guidance on Monday on how schools should support transgender and gender-expansive students. The 42-page document includes a slew of information for schools, including the correct terminology to use for gender identity, or how to support students […]
NYC’s 2023-24 school calendar is out, and many teachers aren’t happy
The wait is over: New York City’s 2023-24 school calendar is live. The first day of classes will be Thursday, Sept. 7, according to the calendar posted on Friday. Teachers are expected to report two days before that, education department officials said. The state requires a minimum of 180 instructional days, but this year’s calendar […]
OPEN NEWSROOM: Accessing Mental Health Resources in NYC Public Schools
THE CITY’s reporters and editors, along with Chalkbeat New York, connected with students, parents, policy makers and family healing ambassadors last week shortly after publishing an investigation on what happens to students in distress when public school staff call 911 on them. THE CITY also published a guide in partnership with Chalkbeat on how to get appropriate mental […]
NYC’s Summer Rising program rejected 45,000 applicants, launching scramble for child care
Roughly 45,000 children have been shut out of New York City’s free, popular summer program, education department officials said this week. The program, which runs between six to seven weeks for most students, provides academics during the morning and enrichment activities in the afternoon for children in grades K-8 across the five boroughs from July to […]
What happened to the social-emotional screening tool that NYC schools began using last year?
New York City’s education department plans to ditch a controversial social skills assessment for the coming school year, Chalkbeat has learned. The tool’s proponents believe it’s a missed opportunity to help shift school culture to become more responsive to children’s social-emotional wellbeing, particularly at a time when needs are high. In many ways, however, the […]
Diwali gains support to become a school holiday in New York and across the U.S.
Efforts to make Diwali a New York state and federal holiday gained traction this week. Such a change, which many of New York’s Indian Americans have hoped for, would impact school calendars every fall. On Thursday, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said his chamber plans to pass legislation that would make Diwali a […]
At least $391 per child in pandemic food benefits is coming to each NYC public school family
New York City public school families, regardless of income, will soon receive a new allotment of food benefits of at least $391 per child, according state officials. Known as the Coronavirus Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, or P-EBT, the federal program aims to help families whose children typically receive free meals at school — and since […]
