Talk: Union City, N.J., Schools

Improbable Scholars: What Union City, NJ, Can Teach New York City About Public Education

Presented by the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School and The New School Working Group on Education and Learning

What does it take to give students a first-rate education? The striking achievement of Union City, N.J. — bringing very poor, mostly immigrant Latino kids into the educational mainstream — argues for reinventing our public schools into caring, hard-working communities. Author David Kirp’s latest book, Improbable Scholars: The Rebirth of a Great American School District and a Strategy for America’s Schools, centers on the remarkable success of a school district five miles and a light year away from Washington Square. Preschool for all, dual language training, “word-soaked classrooms” and strong parent partnerships have all helped make the difference there. What about in New York City?

A presentation by:
David Kirp, professor of public policy, University of California-Berkeley, and author, Improbable Scholars: The Rebirth of a Great American School District and a Strategy for America’s Schools

Followed by a conversaton with:
Clara Hemphill, founder, Insideschools.org, and senior editor, Center for New York City Affairs at The New School
Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, assistant professor of history and co-chair of education studies, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School

Admission is free, but your must RSVP.