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...

Is your 4-year-old gifted? Talented? If so, now is the time to start thinking about having him or her tested for the public school gifted and talented programs. This week the Department of...

Should the Panel for Education Policy (PEP) be given final approval over whether charter schools can be sited in buildings with existing schools? I thought that was the intention of the state...

When the City Council Education Committee held a hearinglast week on the implementation of the new school governance law, it was the first time that student views on the law were heard by the...

For time immemorial, elementary school students have been pulled out of class for mandatory hearing tests -- often administered by school aides in noisy hallways, or school closets. No more. The...

Dear Judy, How many classes are teachers supposed to teach in a day? My daughter's class was merged with another. Now she is in a cramped room, with no desks, just chairs, and more than 30 kids. I...

This past spring, I wrote about Rupert Issacson, the man who wrote a book called [The Horse Boy](http://www.shopforcharitynow.com/books.shtml?churl=y&sfcid=afc-is-20) about healing his autistic...

Author's Note: All quotes below about my son's program are are from a recent article, "The ASD Nest Program" in "Teaching Exceptional Children," a peer-reviewed journal in the special education...

I admit it: last year, I ditched out early on our PTA meeting (my daughters were climbing on me). This year, I vowed not only to attend but to listen carefully until the bitter end -- which was...

In last week's poll, we asked if you would be attending the first PA/PTA meeting of the school year. Most parents -- 66% -- voted yes. Several respondents said that back-to-school night segued...

Two weeks into the school year, some students are spending more hours on school buses than they do in some classes. Lindsey Christ, former Insideschools staffer and now NY1 education reporter,...

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...

What advice can you give me for my 8th-grade son to prepare for Ivy League schools? His reply is "I'm only in 8th grade." But I worry as he is not in honors classes and I think he should be. He did...

Looking at the results of last week's poll, we realize that we truly underestimated how much parents spend on school supplies! Seventy percent of 561 voters said they spend over $50 at the start of...

Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) brought school children a step closer to enjoying produce from small, local farms in their cafeterias. The "Know Your Farmer, Know Your...

After a restful summer unplugged from technology, I’m back to blogging! For new readers, my name is Toni and I’m a senior instrumental major at LaGuardia Arts high school. I am also a member of the...

Last spring we reported that the Department of Education issued a ban on hiring new teachers due to budget cuts. Instead, principals were urged to hire teachers from the pool of excessed teachers...

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...

Today The New York Timesreports that 7th-graders who correctly answered only 44% of the questions on state math exams were rewarded with a passing grade. After similar reports published this...

Voters were divided in our last poll about testing preschoolers for admissions to gifted and talented programs. One thing appeared to be clear, though: you're not happy with the status quo--only 2%...

<!--StartFragment-->Lowering the amount of carbon dioxide your school emits is an important way to fight climate change. The amount of CO2 a school emits is called its "carbon footprint."...

Chancellor Klein announced yesterday that public input will help direct the allocation of this year's Contracts for Excellence funding. This should be a heads-up for parents and educators who have...

More than a year after dangerous levels of polychlorinated biphenyls were discovered in several New York schools, the caulk that contains the toxin still lines the windows and doors of some...

Welcome back to school! Seniors will be starting to work on their college applications in a few weeks, and while this should not dominate the most important business of the day -- doing well in...