If the Common Core were a person, I think we could be friends. I’d call her CeeCee and take her out for a drink. She needs it. I imagine CeeCee sobbing on my shoulder, saying something like, “I’m just trying to give all our kids a fair shot. Really I am!” Poor CeeCee. She means well and I think...
Filling out the FAFSA form is the first step for most students seeking financial support to go to college. But the form can be complicated and intimidating, particularly for students who are new to the country or the first in their family to go to college. To help, the Center for New York City...
At the teacher's prompting, a kindergartner at PS 251 in Queens tries to define "text evidence" for the rest of the class. "Test ed-i-dence," says the 5-year-old, tripping over the unfamiliar words, "is something when you say the word and show the picture." "Text evidence"? What's with this...
Now that bringing cell phones to school will soon be OK, the calls I dread are finally about to stop. "Hello, we have your son's cell phone,'' a voice from his high school says. "We had to confiscate it because he was using it. You can pick it up between 4 and 4:30 pm today." Routinely, the...
Q: I applied under “early action” in November to two schools I considered my “safeties.” I wanted to know that I had at least one acceptance before filing my regular applications in January. I was pretty confident I’d get in, but both schools deferred me—so now I am in a panic. Maybe it’s true...
If you have a child born in 2010, now is the time to be thinking about kindergarten: Applications are due between Jan. 7 and Feb. 13. You may apply online, on the telephone or in person at a Department of Education Family Welcome Center (formerly known as an enrollment office). You'll find out in...
The New York City Council took up the issue of racial segregation in the city's public schools today, but concern about the lack of diversity at eight schools—the academically elite specialized high schools that admit students solely on the basis of one exam—all but drowned out discussion about...
(Originally posted on Chalkbeat by Patrick Wall on December 10, 2014) The same advocates who helped convince the de Blasio administration to saturate dozens of needy schools with support services now want to make sure the city pulls off its plan. Even as they applauded Mayor Bill de Blasio...
(This article is excerpted from DNAinfo.com.) When Samantha Ramos walks the hallways of her South Bronx high school, nearly all the faces she sees are Latino or black. Samantha, 15, is a student at theBronx Academy of Letters on Morris Avenue, where last year just 2 percent of the 584 students...
Offer more test prep. Give all 7th-graders a practice exam and allow 8th- and 9th-grade test-takers more time to complete the competitive specialized high school exam known as the SHSAT. Those are among the proposals that a coalition of graduates of the city's eight specialized high schools that...
Busy is the family that has a 5th- and 8th-grader: middle school and high school applications are both due on the same day, Dec. 2! If you are a parent of a 5th-grader, this may be your first experence with school choice. Options and selection methods vary greatly from district to district. Some...
High school applications are due on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Have you made your list yet? If you are still undecided where to apply, or how to rank your 12 choices, we've got last minute tips for you. We have been visiting high schools all fall, updating our reviews and adding new slideshows. Read our...
This weekend, thousands of 8th and 9th graders will be presenting art portfolios, delivering monologues, dancing and singing in an effort to win admission to the elite “Fame” school, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts. But some parents and faculty say that the...
Are you confused by your child's math homework? Is science an afterthought in your child's school? Take a look at our parents' guide to math and science, including what to look for in the classroom. We give you questions you can ask during parent-teacher conferences as well as suggestions of what...
On Monday the Department of Education released new School Quality Reports for every city school, fulfilling its promiseto abandon the labeling of each school with a single letter grade. For parents who appreciated this simple shorthand when seeking out the best school for their children, this new...
I wasn't too happy in September when I found out my son's 1st-grade teachers have no email. The only other person in my life I can't email is my landlord, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to hear from me. Last year in kindergarten, Noodle's 26-year veteran teacher had not only email, but a...
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday announced his strategy to support the city's schools that are "most in need of help." In conjunction with some additional coaching, oversight and a longer school day, 94 "Renewal Schools" identified for their poor test scores, graduation rates, and School Quality...
All pre-kindergarten through 2nd-graders are eligible to be tested for the city's gifted and talented programs—but the overwhelming number of test applicants come from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Bronx children are tested at the lowest rate in the city, and some say it's because efforts to...
Q: I'm a high school senior looking at what university I might want to attend. I would like to be able to look into courses for animation/digital arts, critical studies (for cinematic arts), game design, computer science, or computer engineering. I currently have no experience in any of those...
The Brooklyn School of Inquiry accepted just two percent of the kids applying to its sixth-grade class last year. That makes it the most competitive middle school in the city, according to data obtained by DNAinfo New York. The gifted and talented K-8 school in Bensonhurst — known for...
If you haven't gotten your ticket for this weekend's specialized high school exam, don't panic. You'll be able to sit for the test without it, according to the Department of Education. The DOE posted a notice on its website saying that all scheduled students will be "welcomed and tested" even...
The Specialized High School Admissions Test that thousands of 8th-graders will take this weekend has long been a multiple-choice exam scored by a machine. But there are indications that the new exam students will take starting in in 2016 might have an essay component. Last month, the city issued...
I am the proud parent of a bright, creative, and unique daughter with learning disabilities. Like many children with high-incidence disabilities, my daughter outperforms in certain academic areas and underperforms in others. From kindergarten until 3rd grade, she relied on these skills and...
Ahh, it’s that time of year again. The pumpkins are out, and sunscreen and sandals have given way to light jackets and boots. There’s no denying it: gifted and talented testing is upon us. Two years ago, I documented my elder son’s attempt to penetrate the exciting, if somewhat notorious world...
It's the thick of college application season, and your child is diligently churning out common application essays while simultaneously studying for four or five advanced placement exams and researching scholarships, right? Well, maybe not. In households of high school seniors across New York...
Say goodbye to the controversial school grading system developed under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Starting this school year, parents will no longer be able to judge schools by their A to F rankings, which were designed to be a simple way to see whether their child's school was succeeding or...
Here's help for 5th-grade parents now in the throes of the hunt for middle school. Insideschools combed the city for good middle schools that are not among the usual favorites—those popular screened and highly competitive programs that everybody applies to. What we found are solid neighborhood...
Middle school admissions season kicks into high gear this week for parents of 5th-graders. You can meet school representatives at evening district fairs beginning Tuesday, Sept. 30. Middle schooldirectories for 2014-2015 are online and hard copies are available at elementary schools. Now is...
Applying to high school in New York City is a confusing process. Here's a summary of our Sept. 23 panel discussion busting the myths. You can also view the entire discussion on video at the bottom of this page. MYTH: The specialized high schools are the best and only ones worth applying...
(This artiicle first appeared on DNAIinfo.com on Sept. 18, 2014. It has been edited slightly) Jayden Todman, an eighth-grader at East Harlem's PS/IS 7 Samuel Stern school, had the same routine every day after school last year — he went home, did his homework and watched television. His mother...
Which elementary schools offer a great education in math and science? We scoured the city for schools that give ordinary kids an extraordinary education—zoned neighborhood schools, not gifted programs or schools with a special application process. We picked schools that are willing to open their...
Clara Hemphill, Insideschools staff and a panel of experts discussed common mistakes that students and parents make when applying to high school and provide tips on how to make better choices. Watch the live-stream here.
Q: My neighbor's daughter is a first-year student at a large public university, and it seems that most of her instructors are graduate students. She has met few actual professors. Now we are starting to look at colleges for our son. I want him to be taught by experienced professors—but does that...
This weekend, Sept. 20 and 21, is the Department of Education'sgigantic citywide high school fair from 10 am to 3 pm at Brooklyn Technical High School. Prepare for a hectic day, where you will meet teachers, students and administrators and find out about their schools. You can attend information...
After all the hype and hustle of searching for and getting into a New York City public high school, it can be disheartening to find out that for some kids and parents the search continues. Not the search for another high school, although there are some who brave the arduous process again and...
(Note: Post updated on Sept. 17, 2014) Mayor Bill de Blasio has hinted that his administration will change the admissions procedures sometime in the future—not this year—at the five specialized high schools established during the Bloomberg administration, which are not governed by state law:...
School starts on Sept. 4 and for high school juniors and seniors, this means it's also time to start thinking about college. Here's my advice on what to focus on as you look ahead to college. Juniors : The most important thing you can do for yourself this year is to concentrate on your studies....
Students who are new to New York City public schools or who are re-entering city schools after a time away, may register at special temporary enrollment centers beginning on Aug. 27 in all boroughs. The centers are open Monday-Friday, 8 am to 3 pm through Sept. 12, with the exception of Sept. 1,...
Originally posted on Chalkbeat by Patrick Wall on August 20, 2014 Every year, teachers must cajole students into submitting family-income forms, which entitles needy students to subsidized lunches and many schools to federal funds. This fall, that annual rite could become much harder for some...
Lunch is free for all students in 6th-8th grade middle schools this year, as part of a pilot program funded by the City Council. The City This initiative not only gives us an opportunity to review implementation issues and to more fully understand the costs incurred by the City but reduces the...
It's crunch time for pre-kindergarten. In just a couple of weeks, the city will open 2,000 new, full-day classrooms in schools and community centers across the five boroughs. If the city gets it right, the pre-k expansion could set a national standard for universal, high-quality instruction for...
Bill de Blasio had been mayor for less than four months when the city's elementary and middle school students took standardized tests this past April. And, according to numbers released on Thursday, more than 68 percent of students who took the tests this year failed to meet state standards in...
New York City students did slightly better on state standardized test this spring than they did in 2013, but about two-thirds of test-takers in grades 3–8 still failed to meet state standards on either the English language arts (ELA) or math tests, according to figures released by the state...
Newcomers to New York City, who are entering 9th or 10th grade in September, must register by Tuesday, August 19 , if they want to take the summer exam for admission to one of the selective specialized high schools, or to audition for the arts school, LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and...
There's been lots of talk about changing the admissions criteria for the specialized high schools, but at least for this year, the Specialized High School Admissions Test Oct. 25 and 26 will same as it's always been. Thousands of 8th graders will take the exam that is the sole determinant of who...
If you're still uncertain what to do with your 4-year-old in September, you're in luck. There's still space available in many of the city's pre-kindergartens in schools and community organizations. To be eligible, your child must turn 4 by Dec. 31, 2014. On Tuesdays in August, beginning today in...
Originally posted on Chalkbeat by Patrick Wall on August 11, 2014 From the moment they met him, the staff at School of the Future were concerned about Joseph. The incoming sixth-grader had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, another behavioral disorder, and a learning disability, which...
Summer is a perfect time for rising seniors to visit some colleges. You won't be alone – hosting summer visitors has been the norm at most U.S. colleges and universities for the past 20 years. The number of visitors will usually correlate with the size of the campus – the larger the school, the...
When I first found out in June that my son’s elementary school would be ending 30 minutes earlier this year and I would have to pick up two children at the same time, ten blocks apart, my first thought, of course, was, “Yes! Now I can harness those superpowers of time travel I always knew I...
There are 22,000 kids living in homeless and domestic violence shelters in NYC, according to Volunteers for America. In addition to the trauma and chaos of a transient life, imagine the feeling of arriving for the first day of school in September, seeing all your friends toting shiny, full...
Perhaps that technology camp you enrolled your nature-loving daughter in just wasn’t quite right, or maybe you’ve noticed your teenager spending too many summer days staring at the wall—or a screen. Luckily, there are still lots of free, engaging summer classes and programs in all five boroughs...
