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Gotham Gazette
Topics / Education
Education Newsletter
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The Topic
Education refers to the organization and performance of the public schools and public support institutions established for teaching children from pre-K-12th.
The Context
NYC's public education system is the nation's largest. Over a million pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students attend its 1,100-plus schools. The head of the school system is the chancellor, who is appointed by the mayor. The chancellor is advised by the Panel for Educational Policy on which sit five parents appointed by the borough presidents and seven mayoral appointees. Under a newly reorganized Department of Education (which has replaced the long-time Board of Education), the city's elementary, middle and high schools are administered by 10 regions headed by regional superintendents. (The organization of the system is described in a Department of Education guide for parents.) There is extraordinary variety across the system: schools of every size and stripe, and at every echelon from first-rate to failing. Less than half of each high school class graduates in four years--and, even with extra time, only 70 percent of NYC kids can count on a diploma.

This Month's Article ...

Working with the St. John's University law school, middle school students in Queens are researching an important but forgotten school desegregation case.

Recent Education Articles from the Gotham Gazette:

At Law School, Middle School Students Get on the Case | The Autism Gap | Anger and Accusations Greet Budget Cuts | Going Online, Digital and Interactive at the Library

Researching Education ...

Out of School, Out of Work
Approximately 163,000 New Yorkers ages 16 to 24 are out of school and are not in the labor force, according to a recent report by the Community Service Society. Another 47,000 are looking for work but unable to find it. However, the report, "Out of Focus," found that the city has only 12,000 slots to provide education or employment for these so-called "disconnected youth." (July 14, 2008)

Education Survey
More parents and teachers say they are satisfied with their schools, according to a survey by the Education Department. Parents who said they were satisfied with their children's schools rose to 94 percent this year from 90 percent last year. Seventy-four percent of teachers said their schools were orderly and disciplined, up from 64 percent the previous year. Positive responses to all question among parents and teachers grew. Responses were not as positive among students, however. When asked if they felt safe in school, 72 percent said yes,which that grew from 64 percent last year. But almost half of students say that getting good grades isn't respected in school. Responses to the survey grew to 800,000, almost 220,000 more than 2007. (July 3, 2008)

Special Education Services
Last year over 4,500 students referred to the Department of Education for special education evaluation per month wait longer than 30 school days for the evaluation to be completed. More than half of those students wait over 60 days for evaluation. Also, the department failed to offer special education services, such as speech or physical therapy, within 60 days to 2,250 students a month. A federal consent decree from '79 dictates that evaluation be completed within 30 school days of parental request for evaluation and 40 school days for other requests. A student must then receive services within 60 and 70 school days respectively. (June 27, 2008)

Student Test Scores Rise
The city Department of Education has released its report on how city students scored on state standardized language arts and math tests this academic year. The report shows a rise in test scores and says the city is faring well when compared with the rest of the state. Critics, though, have noted that scores this year rose sharply throughout the state and have questioned the validity of the results. (June 24, 2008)

School Spending
The Department of Education is violating state regulation on how it can spend money the courts awarded the city for schools last year, according to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, the group that brought the suit resulting in additional funds. The department has not fully disclosed how they propose to spend the money, the group says. But of the $231 million they have provided public information on, only 40 percent is allocated for the neediest schools, they say. State regulation mandates that the neediest half of schools and children receive 75 percent of the funds awarded to the city. It also says the city must make its proposals public. (June 20, 2008)

NY State Department of Education
Lots of info here about state policies that now drive city reform efforts -- learning standards, assessment requirements and results, universal pre-K, charter schools, registration review and more. The Office of NYC School and Community Services page posts city-specific info. Also available: curriculum resource guides to help teachers and families ensure class work is aligned with state learning standards.
Education Week on the Web
Great site for national coverage of education issues. Includes daily digest of education articles from newspapers around the country. "In Context" section decodes jargon and provides background for the week's education news.
NYC Department of Education
By far the easiest way to get information from the city's Department of Education. Check out this site for NYC public education facts and figures, policy news, and "school report cards" -- annual reports on the performance of each NYC school.
NY State School Boards Association
A good place to check for the status of the state budget and up-to-date information on legislation and legal issues important for public education. Also culls newspapers statewide for school-related articles.
The Big Idea: Factory Town
As high-priced housing squeezes out jobs, businesses push a plan to stake out their own space.
Campaign for Fiscal Equity
Learn about the coalition in the midst of a lawsuit against the New York State to secure adequate resources for a quality education for all NYC public school kids. Skim Justice DeGrasse's decision, read editorials from around the state urging Governor Pataki to bring fairness to school funding, and learn about CFE's upcoming public engagement programs.
Institute for Education and Social Policy
Investigates urban education issues and studies the impact of public policy on students from poor, disadvantaged, urban communities.
The education of immigrant children in New York City, a round-up
Nearly one third of the total student population in New York City schools is made up of immigrants, and the proportion is rising steadily. This digest presents an overview of all the factors that influence the education of immigrant children, concentrating on the students' needs, aspirations, and attainment, and on the public policies directed at them.
DonorsChoose
A new nonprofit organization whose mission is to "connect those on education's front lines directly with those who give to good causes." It begins with a teacher who wants to provide his or her students with an activity that school funds do not cover. Teachers' project proposals are vetted by DonorsChoose staff and volunteers who verify the teacher's identity, confirm the existence of requested materials, negotiate discounts, attach a cost to the proposal and, finally, review the proposed project. Approved proposals are posted on the groupÍs web site, where civic-minded individuals can browse teachers' submissions. A donor can make a tax-deductible contribution that fully or partially funds a chosen proposal.

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