Coronavirus New York
Many schools opted out of a controversial social-emotional assessment. Now NYC is ditching the tool.
Teachers and parents raised concerns about the DESSA, a social-emotional learning tool that schools began using last year.
With just a month until the school year ends, families are scrambling to find alternate summer programs for their children.
The decision to start the new school year with steady budgets, however, doesn’t mean schools are completely immune from cuts.
Suspensions are also up 6% compared with the same period in 2019, just before the pandemic hit.
As the city expects another wave of newcomer immigrant families, educators are worried it will become even more challenging to support English learners.
Two-thirds of that cut, or about $650 million, is the result of Adams’ decision to reduce the city’s contribution to the education department.
In its third year, the program will again have 110,000 spots and will be open to any child in New York City — but there are a couple changes to the application process.
The education department’s spending per pupil has increased by 46%, in large part due to the billions in federal COVID aid the district received as enrollment has dipped.
The role of parent coordinator became more critical and stressful during the pandemic. But salaries for the job, which New York City schools created 20 years ago, have not kept pace.
There might be more attention on this year’s state tests, following the spotlight on last year’s dip in national test scores.
In one significant change, students who are already attending one of the city’s hundreds of DYCD-run after-school programs will also receive priority for Summer Rising.
Both the state Senate and Assembly called to remove Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to allow New York City to open more than 100 new charter schools.
The seismic shift that made devices more accessible to students than ever before has now pushed some teachers to fold technology more often into their lesson plans.
The move could boost enrollment at CUNY’s undergraduate schools and programs as college enrollment remains below pre-pandemic levels.
The needs are high as data shows worsening mental health among young people, including more students reporting thoughts of suicide.
With the majority of the school year now over, school districts haven’t been able to apply for the grant money due to a lengthy bureaucratic process.
Although schools keep a record of devices, city watchdogs have criticized the education department for having no centralized system.
The office’s creation comes as the education department’s own early childhood office has faced intense scrutiny over the past several months under Adams’ leadership.
Monday’s announcement represents the Adams administration’s gradual unpeeling of COVID-related rules established under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Adams promised a telehealth program for all New York City high school students struggling with mental health. But officials offered few details on how it will work.
Schools are uniquely positioned to identify and support grieving children, but families and school staff say the system isn’t equipped to serve them.
Data obtained by Chalkbeat suggests that the temporary policy change — first canceling the English Regents and then not requiring a passing score to graduate — made it easier for English language learners to earn their diplomas.
NYC has used hundreds of millions worth of federal relief funding for programs with recurring costs, including pre-K and hiring more nurses and social workers.
David Banks vowed to ‘raise the issue’ with the health department.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposals showed a deeper commitment to addressing how the pandemic impacted students both academically and mentally.
Advocates say they will push for solutions to issues that have become more pressing during the pandemic, including funding, hiring challenges, and student mental health.
CUNY launched a high-dosage tutoring program that pairs hundreds of aspiring educators with first and second graders who are struggling to read.
58% of NYC charter schools shrank during COVID, even as the sector grew overall. Two of the city’s major charter networks — Success Academy and Uncommon Schools — saw student enrollment shrink last year.
The Manhattan charter school had 17 of its 54 staff members out sick as of Tuesday. COVID, RSV, and the flu affected many staffers, officials from the Washington Heights school said.
There are still many open questions about how both would approach policy for schools.
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