It was hard not to feel empathy for the aspiring dancer depicted on the front page of the New York Times last week, in an excellent piece by Jennifer Medinathat looked at the grueling schedule of...

A dozen New York City high schools were awarded gold medals by US News and World Report, in its annual ranking of the 100 best high schools in the nation. Schools are ranked according to the degree...

Yesterday the Department of Education announced its  intention to close four schools it considers failing:  Maxwell High School for Career and Technical Education in Brooklyn,  the Academy of...

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 0 1 385 2195 18 4 2695 11.1282 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> 0 0 0 <![endif]-->Imagine your kindergartner arrived at school...

Allison Gaines Pell is the founder and principal of a new, small public middle school called Arts & Letters, located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. She lives in Brooklyn, and is a public school...

Dec. 4 is the date when high school applications are due to school guidance counselors. If you're like the average New York City public middle school parent, you have spent the fall accompanying...

Dear Judy, Our son is in 5th grade at a charter school that's not in the district where we live. What middle schools is he eligible for? Charter school parent Dear Charter school parent: Given...

As the high school application season heats up for 8th-graders and their families this weekend, the Department of Education is sponsoring fairs in all five boroughs. While not exactly relaxing,...

Parents who plan to test their kids for Gifted and Talented programs may attend Department of Education information sessions to learn details about the G&T process, from test to placement....

Dear Judy, My daughter just started kindergarten at our zoned school in Brooklyn, which has a wonderful reputation. Last week, we attended the curriculum conference for her class, where the...

Once you finally get passed the grueling search for a New York City public high school -- the tours, tests, interviews and rankings finally over -- a settling-in period begins. But getting...

Parents of 5th-graders: Mark your calendars. The Department of Education posted the timeline for middle schools admissions for fall 2010 and the process is starting this month, six weeks earlier...

If you've got an 8th-grader looking for a high school -- or a 9th-grader looking to change high schools -- you may want to join the throngs at the citywide high school fair this weekend at Brooklyn...

This fall, kindergarten gifted andtalented programs opened in 27 of the city's 32 districts. That's in addition to five programs which are open to students citywide. Students who score at the 97th...

On the soccer field last weekend, the parent of an 8th-grader casually inquired what it takes to get into one of the city's best high schools. I wanted to laugh, but that wouldn't be fair, because...

Dear Judy What is the best way to find out about high school open houses and tours? Is there an updated list on Insideschools.org? How many schools should we visit? Are open houses really...

Students are not the only ones wrangling with mathematics this year. Yesterday,The New York Times reported how principals have cut costs to meet their 5% slimmer school budgets, after the budget...

Before the city released the 2008-2009 school progress reports Wednesday, the New York Post braced us for shockingly high results. But after the release, the Post had to update its statistics --...

Although the first day of school is just two weeks away, some students, especially those new to the city, still don't know where they will be going to school on Sept. 9. Beginning next Monday,...

The New York Times reports today that charter school construction is providing a growing niche for the building and design industries in the New York City area. The article highlights a...

Dear Judy, My daughter has been attending school in another state. Now she wants to finish back in the city. She will be going into 11th grade and she's a good student. What are her...

Dear Judy, We just moved to New York City this summer. Do you have any ideas for free summer activities? New to NYC Judy answers: Dear New to NYC, Welcome to summer in New York City! Lots of...

Summer break is hardly a vacation for more than 90 schools across the city that will be moving into new locations for the new school year. For some, moving means a home in a brand-new building,...

This summer, my daughters and I are getting our hands dirty, thanks to their schools and our city. We may live in an asphalt-dominated landscape, but with minimal effort we have found green spaces...

In the news this past week come reports that some low-performing students, as well as students with special needs, are being pushed out of charter schools and enrolling in their neighborhood zoned...