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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.

Education Links In The News:

Links to web sites, articles or reports that illuminate the most recent Education news.

City, Union Cut Bad Teachers' Rubber Room Stretches (Daily News, Jul 3, 2008)

Survey Shows Increase in School Satisfaction (NY Post, Jul 2, 2008)

$18 Million Gift Aims to Boost Math and Science in Harlem (NY Sun, Jul 1, 2008)

Teachers: Klein Doesn't Make the Grade (NY Post, Jun 27, 2008)

Klein Says '08 Best Year of His Tenure (NY Post, Jun 26, 2008)

Charters Outperform Other Schools on State Tests (NY Post, Jun 25, 2008)

Teachers Bonuses Tied to Test Increases (NY Post, Jun 24, 2008)

Reading and Math Scores Rise Sharply Across N.Y. (NY Times, Jun 24, 2008)

State Math and Reading Exam Scores Released; Critics Question Improvements (Daily News, Jun 24, 2008)

Some Charge Administration With Education Inflation (NY Sun, Jun 23, 2008)

Comptroller Claims Schools Neglect Hearing, Vision Tests (NY 1, Jun 20, 2008)

Klein Seeks Power To Certify Teachers, Principals (NY Sun, Jun 20, 2008)
Chancellor Joel Klein is mulling a plan that for the first time would grant the Department of Education authority to certify teachers and principals. Certification is now done by universities, which act as partners even when it comes to alternative ways to enter the profession, such as Teach For America and the city's Teaching Fellows program. Mr. Klein spoke about the idea yesterday at a summit organized by a former Florida governor, Jeb Bush, according to his prepared PowerPoint presentation.

Gifted Programs in the City Are Less Diverse (NY Times, Jun 19, 2008)

Milk Vendors To Bid on Schools Boroughwide (NY Post, Jun 18, 2008)

Klein, Sharpton Ally on Achievement Gap (NY Sun, Jun 12, 2008)
Anointing themselves the "odd couple," City's schools chancellor, Joel Klein, and the Rev. Al Sharpton are teaming up to confront what they call the nation's most urgent civil rights issue: the educational achievement gap between white and minority students. The unlikely pairing of schools chief and activist appeared here yesterday with national education leaders to launch a coalition aimed at pressuring the presidential candidates to address racial disparities that persist in classrooms across the country.

Teachers Bonus Plan to Expand (NY Sun, Jun 9, 2008)

Background Checks Skipped at Day Care Centers (NY Post, Jun 9, 2008)

Principal Warns of Crane Construction Site (Daily News, Jun 9, 2008)

Leaders of Four 'F' Schools Are Now Up for Bonuses (NY Times, Jun 6, 2008)

Gotbaum Calls for Pre-K Admissions Overhaul (WNYC, Jun 5, 2008)

Klein Eyes the Rezoning of City School Districts (NY Sun, Jun 4, 2008)

'Sex' Star Leads Rally Against School Cuts (Daily News, Jun 3, 2008)
Cynthia Nixon, who stars in the TV hit-turned-blockbuster-movie, led a rally Monday of hundreds of parents and educators opposed to the cuts at Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School.

Tweed Charter School Probed for Doctoring Test Scores (NY Sun, Jun 2, 2008)

Financial Dispute Stalls Razing of College Building Damaged on 9/11 (NY Times, Jun 1, 2008)

City Approved Building to Get School (Daily News, May 31, 2008)
The city green-lighted the construction of the condo tower at the site of Friday's crane collapse as part of a deal to get a new middle school built for free.

Education Department's Phantom Cuts (NY Post, May 30, 2008)

Pre-K Enrollment Possibly Botched (NY Post, May 29, 2008)

Klein Finds Few Allies at Hearing (NY Times, May 28, 2008)
During a nearly four-hour hearing filled with skepticism that bordered on hostility, Schools Chancellor Joel Klein testified that the city badly needed more flexibility from the state to avoid significant cuts at dozens of public schools. But several council members said they found the argument difficult to believe. They also said that rather than appealing to the state, the Bloomberg administration should restore millions to the education budget to avoid the cuts.

City Scales Back Kindergarten Testing (NY Sun, May 28, 2008)
At a City Council hearing yesterday, Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said that, as a way to handle budget cuts, the school system will not test every kindergartner next year. Klein had previously said he had wanted the tests to screen students for gifted and talented programs.

Teachers Union Charges Misuse of "Rubber Room" (NY Sun, May 27, 2008)

City Says Best Schools May Suffer (NY Times, May 22, 2008)

Elite Schools Face Biggest Cuts Under New Budgets (NY Sun, May 22, 2008)

Principals Wait For Individual Budgets (NY Sun, May 21, 2008)

Politicians Ask Washington to Investigate Possible Toxins in Schools (NY Sun, May 19, 2008)

Despite Cell Phone Ban, Course Sees Them as Aid (NY Sun, May 16, 2008)

Rising Tuition at Religious Schools Affects City Families (NY Sun, May 14, 2008)

City Employees Allegedly Extorted $1 Million from School Bus Companies (NY Post, May 14, 2008)

Brooklyn Tech Alumni Pledge to Raise $21 Million for School (Daily News, May 13, 2008)

Teachers Union Honors Thompson (NY Sun, May 12, 2008)
Comptroller William Thompson Jr., a likely mayoral candidate, is being praised by a group that would be a useful endorsement and is moving to expand its influence, the United Federation of Teachers.

Parents Say Public Schools Overcrowded (Newsday, May 9, 2008)

Education Department, Union Clash Over Spending of State School Money (NY Sun, May 7, 2008)

A Look Into the Rubber Rooms (Daily News, May 5, 2008)

Union Defends Teacher Pool (NY Sun, May 5, 2008)

Endorsements and Congestion Pricing, School Names as Political Ads (NY Times, May 5, 2008)

Educators Will Fight Cuts (NY Sun, May 2, 2008)

Children Admitted to Gifted Programs Learn the Classes Don't Exist (NY Post, Apr 30, 2008)

Bloomberg Criticizes Paying 'Unassigned' Teachers (NY Post, Apr 30, 2008)
The city shouldn't have to pay unassigned teachers indefinitely - a side effect of the 2005 teachers' contract that will cost taxpayers a projected $81 million by June, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday. Bloomberg's message came in response to a study warning that the pool of nearly 700 teachers who'd been cut from schools - but are paid full salary and benefits to serve as substitutes - would grow indefinitely.

$81 Million for Reserve of Teachers (NY Times, Apr 29, 2008)
New York City is paying $81 million over two years in salaries and benefits for teachers without permanent teaching jobs, according to a report being released on Tuesday.

Brooklyn Educator Labeled as Radical (NY Times, Apr 28, 2008)

Unresponsive Parent Coordinators (Daily News, Apr 24, 2008)

Schools Have To-Do Lists Ready After Record Influx in State Aid (NY Times, Apr 22, 2008)

Catholic School Teachers Plan to Strike Today (NY Post, Apr 15, 2008)

Angry Weingarten Prepares to Go National (Daily News, Apr 12, 2008)
Teachers union President Randi Weingarten used the long-anticipated announcement that she will seek the presidency of the nation's union to rip Chancellor Joel Klein and Mayor Michael Bloomberg over the city's plan to base teacher tenure on test scores, which was shot down by Albany. "No matter what they do to present themselves as children's protectors, the wolf under their sheepskin always shows through," she told thousands of members of the union.

Lacking Credits, Some Students Learn a Shortcut (NY Times, Apr 11, 2008)

Pre-Schoolers Exposed To Dangerous Conditions in Brooklyn (NY 1, Apr 11, 2008)

Gaps in School Gifted Program Rolls (NY Post, Apr 11, 2008)

Bloomberg 'Irate' Over Teacher Tenure (NY Post, Apr 10, 2008)

Broader Rule Sought to Pick Gifted Pupils (NY Times, Apr 10, 2008)

New York City and Long Island Schools Benefit From Deal in Albany (NY Times, Apr 10, 2008)

Teachers Union Spent $3 Million Lobbying Albany Last Year (NY Post, Apr 10, 2008)

One Third of City High Schools Get Failing Grades (Daily News, Apr 9, 2008)

Why Some NYC Black Parents Home School Their Sons (Village Voice, Apr 9, 2008)

Tenure and Test Scores (NY Times, Apr 9, 2008)
State lawmakers have decided to bar student test scores from being considered when teacher tenure determinations are made. The move, part of budget negotiations, was a setback to efforts by the mayor to hold teachers accountable by using student performance data, and a boon for the teachers’ unions, which hold enormous influence in the capital.

Legislators Balk at Tying Teacher Tenure to Student Tests (NY Times, Apr 9, 2008)

Public Funds for Principal Search (NY Post, Apr 8, 2008)

Area Catholic Teachers Time Protests to Pope's Visit (NY Sun, Apr 8, 2008)

11 High Schools Are Identified as Failing (City Room, Apr 8, 2008)

Catholic School Teachers Strike as Papal Visit Draws Near (NY Times, Apr 7, 2008)

Students Struggle to Write Proficiently (NY Sun, Apr 7, 2008)

Toxins Found in Schools (Daily News, Apr 7, 2008)
Window sills and door frames in dozens of city public schools contain a toxin that can lower IQ scores, causes asthma and is linked to cancer, a Daily News investigation has found.

Catholic Teacher Strike Today (NY Post, Apr 4, 2008)

Writing Mastery Eludes Majority In Eighth Grade (NY Sun, Apr 4, 2008)

Failure an Option for One in Four Students (NY Post, Apr 3, 2008)

Professors Go to Bat for Arab Principal (NY Post, Apr 3, 2008)

Battle Over Charter School Space Will Heat Up (NY Sun, Apr 3, 2008)

Weingarten Girds for a Broader Battlefield (NY Times, Apr 3, 2008)

Albany Move Would Block Bloomberg's School Cuts (Daily News, Mar 29, 2008)
The latest move in state budget gamesmanship would block Mayor Bloomberg from cutting public school costs - and result in the loss of 3,778 cops and 520 firefighters, a City Hall analysis shows.

Study: Few Complete Move Through Public School System (NY Sun, Mar 28, 2008)

Four-Fold Jump in Advanced Placement Applications (NY Post, Mar 27, 2008)

Klein Fights Changes in Tenure Law (NY Post, Mar 27, 2008)

NYU and Columbia Lose Students' Luster (Crain's, Mar 27, 2008)

Immigrants March for Schools and Housing (City Room, Mar 26, 2008)

Schools Score Low on Computer Access (NY Post, Mar 26, 2008)

City Streamlines Pre-K Application (Daily News, Mar 25, 2008)

Teachers Union in a Race to Avert a Revolt at Charter School (NY Sun, Mar 25, 2008)

Hey, Kids! Don’t Eat the New Lunch Trays (City Room, Mar 25, 2008)

Consulting Firm Gets Raise At Education Department (Daily News, Mar 24, 2008)
The Education Department gave a 9 percent pay raise this month to a controversial British consulting company that performs yearly evaluations of most city schools.

Appeals Court Rejects Claim by Arabic School Principal (Associated Press, Mar 21, 2008)

Klein Passionately Defends Advocacy Role (Daily News, Mar 21, 2008)

Klein, City Council Rethink Upcoming School Budget Cuts (NY 1, Mar 21, 2008)

School Chief Tells Council Deep Cuts Are Needed (NY Times, Mar 21, 2008)

Education Department Spares Poorest Schools from Budget Cuts (NY Post, Mar 21, 2008)

Thousands Protest Budget Cuts Aimed at City Schools (NY Times, Mar 20, 2008)

Calls to Education Department By Paterson Got Girlfriend Job (NY Post, Mar 20, 2008)

Higher Education Thriving in Brooklyn (Daily News, Mar 18, 2008)

Passing Eighth Grade Gets a Little Harder (NY Times, Mar 18, 2008)

Bill Would Bar Linking Class Test Scores to Tenure (NY Times, Mar 18, 2008)

Opposition to Promotion Policy Builds (NY Sun, Mar 17, 2008)

Few Teachers Trained in New Ed Curriculum (Corrected Link) (NY Post, Mar 16, 2008)

Teachers Want Less Reliance On Tests for Scoring Schools (NY Sun, Mar 14, 2008)

Klein Offers New School Funding Plan Alternative to Budget Cuts (Daily News, Mar 13, 2008)

More School Security Proposed (NY Sun, Mar 12, 2008)
In the wake of a school shooting at a Jewish seminary in Israel last week, a group of City Council members is proposing that the New York City Department of Education and the New York City Police Department provide to private and parochial schools all of the security services currently provided to public schools.

Columbia University to Offer Financial Aid to More Students (NY Times, Mar 11, 2008)

Several Catholic Schools to Close (Staten Island Advance, Mar 10, 2008)

At Charter School, Higher Teacher Pay (NY Times, Mar 7, 2008)

Trustees of Polytechnic University in Brooklyn Approve Merger With NYU (NY Times, Mar 7, 2008)

Mayor Pledges Arts Programs To Survive Cuts (NY Sun, Mar 7, 2008)

Fine Is Levied for Nepotism by Queens Principal (NY Sun, Mar 6, 2008)

A Cash Incentive for Good Grades (NY Times, Mar 5, 2008)

Next Question: Can Students Be Paid to Excel? (NY Times, Mar 5, 2008)

After 5 Years, City Council Holds First Hearing on Mayor’s Control of Public Schools (NY Times, Mar 4, 2008)
Since taking control of New York City’s 1,400 public schools, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has steadfastly maintained that centralized, mayoral oversight is critical to turning around the vast system. But that view came under sharp attack on Monday as the City Council held the first public hearing on the state law authorizing mayoral control.

Queens Library Gets $6 Million Gift for Adult Literacy (Daily News, Mar 4, 2008)

Education Department Proposes Changes in School Grades (NY Times, Feb 29, 2008)

Changes Eyed for School Report Cards (Daily News, Feb 29, 2008)

City To Revise Report Cards on the Schools (NY Sun, Feb 29, 2008)

Lawmakers Call for End to Education Department's Computer System (NY Post, Feb 29, 2008)

For 'A' Students in Some Brooklyn Schools, a Cellphone and 130 Free Minutes (NY Times, Feb 28, 2008)

$80 Million School Computer a 'Disaster,' Principals, Teachers Say (NY Post, Feb 27, 2008)

Plan to Tighten Eighth Grade Promotion Faces Opposition (NY Sun, Feb 27, 2008)

$80 Million School Computer Debacle (NY Post, Feb 27, 2008)

Mayoral Control of Schools Could Be Expanded Upstate (NY Sun, Feb 27, 2008)

Will Christine Quinn Stand Up to Commissioner Kelly? (Village Voice, Feb 26, 2008)

Desegregation Order Lifted From Brooklyn School (NY Times, Feb 23, 2008)

City Announces 52 New Schools (NY Times, Feb 22, 2008)

Schools Text Alert Plan (NY Post, Feb 22, 2008)

City Students Illegally Pushed Out of School Due of Age (Daily News, Feb 22, 2008)

Mayor Defends Early Pension for Teachers (NY Post, Feb 17, 2008)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended a bill now before the governor that would allow current teachers to retire with full pension benefits five years earlier than current law allows.

For City’s Schoolteachers, Retirement May Be Closer (NY Times, Feb 17, 2008)

State Leads Nation in Advance Placement Test Scores (Associated Press, Feb 15, 2008)

Hundreds Rally Against Education Budget Cuts (NY 1, Feb 15, 2008)

Teachers Get Big Gift From State GOP (NY Sun, Feb 15, 2008)

Liu Blames Bloomberg for School Cuts (NY Observer, Feb 14, 2008)

City Teachers Union Chief May Seek National Post (NY Times, Feb 13, 2008)

Education Department Seeks End to Racial Quota at Brooklyn School (NY Sun, Feb 13, 2008)

A Reversal on School Vouchers, Then a Tempest (NY Times, Feb 13, 2008)

City Moves to Overturn 1974 Ruling on Race (NY Times, Feb 13, 2008)

Smart Land Deals a Cornerstone of Free Tuition at Cooper Union (NY Times, Feb 13, 2008)

Schools Go Burger Free (Newsday, Feb 11, 2008)

Quinn To Woo Teachers With Bonus Pay (Daily Politics, Feb 11, 2008)

More Students Offered Seats (NY Post, Feb 9, 2008)
More students than ever have been offered a coveted seat in the fall at the city's nine specialized high schools, the Department of Education announced yesterday.

Ax Looms for "Lead Teacher" Program (Daily News, Feb 8, 2008)

City Fines Five Former Department of Education Staffers (NY Post, Feb 8, 2008)

Ethics Inquiry Postpones NYU Merger With Polytechnic (NY Times, Feb 8, 2008)

Schools Ready for Budget Cut Fight (NY Post, Feb 8, 2008)

6 City Schools Designated by the State as Failing (NY Times, Feb 7, 2008)

Failing Middle Schools (NY Post, Feb 7, 2008)

State Raises Consequences For Failing Schools (NY Sun, Feb 7, 2008)

Court Panel Questions School Ban on Phones (NY Times, Feb 7, 2008)

Prospective Teachers Will Have Essay to Write Before City Hires Them (Daily News, Feb 7, 2008)

City Gets Grilled on Ouster of Arab School's Principal (Daily News, Feb 6, 2008)
A federal appeals court panel Tuesday grilled city lawyers over the way officials handled the ouster of the principal of a controversial Arabic-language school.

Federal Investigation Into CUNY's 'Black Male Initiative' Widens (NY Sun, Feb 5, 2008)

Judges Criticize City's Handling of Arabic School's Principal (Associated Press, Feb 5, 2008)

Vallone Defends Homework Resolution (Politicker, Feb 4, 2008)

Principals Told to Cut Budgets by 1.7 Percent (Daily News, Feb 1, 2008)

Judge Voids City Plan to Let Private Schools Build and Use Fields on Randalls Island (NY Post, Feb 1, 2008)

Budget Cuts Raise Wrath of Principals (NY Times, Feb 1, 2008)
Principals across New York City turned on their computers Thursday morning to discover that because of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s new budget proposal, their budgets had been slashed overnight by sums ranging from $9,000 to $447,587. And they reacted with unvarnished fury, while frantically scouring for places to cut spending.

Deal Over Randalls Island Sports Fields Is Voided (NY Times, Feb 1, 2008)

School Choice Rules Increase Parental Anxiety (Village Voice, Feb 1, 2008)

Change at Top for Bad City Schools (Daily News, Jan 31, 2008)

Budget Cuts at Schools Begin (NY Post, Jan 31, 2008)

Stuyvesant Shines In Top Science Contest (NY Sun, Jan 31, 2008)

Measure to Limit Homework (NY Sun, Jan 30, 2008)
The amount of homework public school teachers can give would be limited to 10 minutes a grade a night under a new resolution being introduced to the City Council.

City to Change Way of Choosing, Rating Principals (NY Times, Jan 30, 2008)
The Bloomberg administration is overhauling the way the Department of Education selects and evaluates public school principals, making the system more centralized and trying to shake up a system where, officials say, a vast majority of principals routinely get satisfactory evaluations. The changes come as the administration has given its principals unprecedented power over decisions like how they spend their budgets, train their teachers and educate their students.

Tests for Principals Planned (Daily News, Jan 30, 2008)
Educators hoping to become a city principal will now have to pass a rigorous test before they'll be considered for the job.

City Centralizes Hiring Process for Principals (NY Times, Jan 30, 2008)

Communities and Private Schools Clash (Newsday, Jan 28, 2008)

Klein Reacts to Cuffed Kid (Daily News, Jan 26, 2008)
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein called the handcuffing of a Queens kindergartner "troubling" Friday, but stopped short of condemning the practice.

Five Year-Old Boy Handcuffed in School (Daily News, Jan 25, 2008)

Bloomberg Not A Fan Of Property Tax Cap, Little Sympathy For Albany (Daily Politics, Jan 25, 2008)

Entry Process Is Simplified at City Schools (NY Times, Jan 24, 2008)

Mayor Expected To Call For Education Department Cuts (NY Sun, Jan 24, 2008)

School Expansion May Be Kindergarten Model (NY Sun, Jan 24, 2008)

New York Measuring Teachers by Test Scores (NY Times, Jan 24, 2008)

City Could Try Extending School Day or Year (Daily News, Jan 23, 2008)

Parents Demand Middle School Changes (NY Sun, Jan 22, 2008)

Examining the Drop-Out Rate (City Limits, Jan 22, 2008)

Union Attacks Evaluation Method (NY Post, Jan 22, 2008)
United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten promised a full-arsenal fight if the Department of Education attempts to judge individual teachers based on their students' test scores.

Should Student Test Scores Measure a Teacher’s Value? (City Room, Jan 22, 2008)

Many Parents Angry About Their School's Grade (Associated Press, Jan 21, 2008)

Investigation of Study Programs Widens (NY Times, Jan 21, 2008)

Lower Aid Increase Planned for Schools in New York City (NY Times, Jan 21, 2008)

'Crisis' for Latino and Black Kids (NY Post, Jan 21, 2008)

Mayor Annonuces New Education Policies (NY Times, Jan 18, 2008)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Thursday unveiled strict new criteria for promotion to high school that could, if current testing patterns hold, put nearly a quarter of New York City’s eighth graders in danger of spending an extra year in middle school.

School Choice Isn’t Enough (City Journal, Jan 18, 2008)

Which Rising Star Will Be 'Next Randi Weingarten'? (NY Sun, Jan 17, 2008)

A Queens High School With 3,600 Students, and Room for Just 1,800 (NY Times, Jan 16, 2008)

12 More Charter Schools Headed for Approval (NY Post, Jan 15, 2008)

School System Moves to End Quotas (NY Post, Jan 15, 2008)
Hours after an Indian couple filed a class-action suit challenging the racial quotas that kept their daughter out of an elite Brooklyn public school, the Department of Education announced yesterday that it will seek to end the quotas.

State to Audit No-Bid Award of City’s School Contracts (NY Times, Jan 12, 2008)

Jail Middle School Nixed (NY Post, Jan 12, 2008)
A city councilman's bizarre plan to open a public middle school on the grounds of a Brooklyn jail has been placed on death row.

State Gets Top Education Rating (NY Post, Jan 11, 2008)

Education Department to Award its Largest Ever No-Bid Contract (Daily News, Jan 11, 2008)

Plan to Locate Middle School in Brooklyn House of Detention (Brooklyn Papers, Jan 11, 2008)

State Teachers’ Union Is Leery of Effort to Limit Taxes (NY Times, Jan 11, 2008)

Judge Queries Plan to Give Private Schools Priority on Randalls Island (NY Times, Jan 11, 2008)

Harlem Residents To Square Off Vs. City Over Randalls Island (NY Sun, Jan 10, 2008)

City Names New Principal for English-Arabic School (NY Sun, Jan 9, 2008)

Disabled Woman's Education to End (Daily News, Jan 9, 2008)

School Misconduct Breaks Record (Daily News, Jan 8, 2008)

Teachers Union Fights Parking Cutback (NY Sun, Jan 7, 2008)
Days after Mayor Michael Bloomberg vowed to slash the number of parking permits handed out to city employees, the teachers union is objecting.

School Bus Citations Soar (Daily News, Jan 6, 2008)
Safety violations on school buses have skyrocketed since the Daily News revealed bus companies were routinely receiving tips ahead of time about "surprise" inspections.

Extra State Money for City Schools Threatened (NY Sun, Jan 4, 2008)

Private Schools To Be Reimbursed for Attendance Program (NY Sun, Jan 4, 2008)

Cash Rewards for Schools Stirs Debate (NY Sun, Jan 4, 2008)

Critics Assail School Test Schedule (NY Sun, Dec 31, 2007)

Firm Offers Free Online Lesson Plans for Teachers (NY Sun, Dec 26, 2007)

Albany Adds 60 Schools to City List of Failures (NY Times, Dec 21, 2007)

Red Tape Leaves Tots Without Pre-Kindergarten Schools (NY Sun, Dec 21, 2007)

Charter Schools Receive Their First Report Cards (NY Times, Dec 20, 2007)

Small Bite Out of Class Sizes (Daily News, Dec 20, 2007)

Classes Still Larger Than Allowed by Union Contract (NY Post, Dec 20, 2007)

How a Middle School Can Be ‘Dangerous’ and Still Get an A (NY Times, Dec 19, 2007)

205 Schools Accept Plan for Bonus Pay (NY Times, Dec 19, 2007)

Troubled Manhattan Commercial College to Close (NY Times, Dec 19, 2007)

'Laundromat Tour' Pushed School Ratings (NY Sun, Dec 19, 2007)

Special Education Gets a System Boost (Daily News, Dec 19, 2007)

School Grades Still Cause for Concern (City Limits, Dec 18, 2007)

Report to Urge Sweeping Change for SUNY System (NY Times, Dec 17, 2007)
A proposal would allow New York State’s public colleges to raise tuition without the approval of the Legislature.

New York State Theater to Close for Repairs in 2008 (NY Times, Dec 17, 2007)
The New York State Theater will go dark during New York City Opera’s 2008-9 season so that it can be renovated, and City Opera will perform at sites yet to be determined.

Corruption Found in School Bus System (Daily News, Dec 13, 2007)

Testing Discrepancies Examined (NY Sun, Dec 13, 2007)

Staten Island School Administrator Tampered with Tests (NY Post, Dec 13, 2007)

Dumb Down Class, Asks Principal Memo (Daily News, Dec 13, 2007)

Former City School Bus Supervisor Arrested (NY Sun, Dec 13, 2007)

Extra Test Time for Pupils Spurs Push for Standards (NY Sun, Dec 12, 2007)

City Fighting Harder Not to Pay for Special Ed at Private School (NY Times, Dec 12, 2007)

NYU Expansion Plans (The Villager, Dec 12, 2007)

Manhattan Private Schools No Longer Rely on Legacies (NY Sun, Dec 11, 2007)

Council Members Question Report Cards (NY Times, Dec 11, 2007)
The architect of the city’s new system that assigns grades to public schools faced fierce criticism yesterday at a hearing before the City Council’s Education Committee, whose members blasted the evaluations as unfair, reductive and a maze of statistics.

Defending School Report Cards, Over a Chorus of Boos (NY Times, Dec 11, 2007)

More Schools Being Closed for Low Score (NY Times, Dec 10, 2007)
City education officials said yesterday that they planned to close three additional schools: Franklin K. Lane High School in Brooklyn; the Bronx Coalition Community High School; and P.S. 183, the Daniel Chappie James Elementary School in Brooklyn. They join 10 others that the Department of Education has decided to close after they received poor marks on the new A-through-F report cards.

Encouraging Minority Students to Pursue a Career in Medicine (NY Times, Dec 9, 2007)

More Schools Being Closed for Low Score (NY Times, Dec 8, 2007)

Charter School's Caribbean Rewards Are Criticized (NY Sun, Dec 7, 2007)

Most Campuses Restrict Free Speech, Report Finds (NY Sun, Dec 7, 2007)

Benjamin Banneker and PS 304 Added To List Of Schools Set To Close (NY Sun, Dec 7, 2007)

'Arabic' Principal Fights On (NY Post, Dec 7, 2007)

Special Ed Enrollment in Small High Schools (WNYC, Dec 6, 2007)

Parents Press for ACORN Principal's Ouster (NY Sun, Dec 6, 2007)

Ex-Principal of Arabic School Loses Round in Court (Daily News, Dec 6, 2007)

Two More Schools to Close for Bad Performance (NY Times, Dec 6, 2007)

Six Schools to be Shut (NY Times, Dec 5, 2007)
In the first fallout from the Bloomberg administration’s controversial new school report cards, the city named six schools yesterday that will be shut down after earning Ds and Fs.

Teachers Now Oppose Housing Plan (NY Times, Dec 4, 2007)

Inflatable Rat Plans for Weingarten Scrapped (Daily Politics, Dec 4, 2007)

Dating-Related Violence Rises Among Teenagers (City Room, Dec 3, 2007)

Teachers Back Experimental Plan to Link Pay to Test Scores (NY Sun, Nov 29, 2007)

No Cheers For Delayed Education Funds (Daily Politics, Nov 29, 2007)

Council Member Calls for Limits On Homework (NY Sun, Nov 28, 2007)
Queens Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. plans to introduce a resolution calling on the Department of Education to limit homework to 2 1/2 hours per night and to create one homework-free night per week. He said his two daughters are routinely swamped with homework and stuck at home, slogging through it.

Spitzer Orders Charters To Pay Union Wages (NY Sun, Nov 28, 2007)

Class Size Critics Say Do More (NY Post, Nov 28, 2007)

Lawmaker Eyes Ban on Student Lunchtime Driving (NY Sun, Nov 27, 2007)

Students Want Sex Ed (AM New York, Nov 27, 2007)

Lawmaker: Ban Student Driving During School Hours (Newsday, Nov 26, 2007)
Following the recent deaths of three teenagers from Smithtown in a car crash during school lunch hour, a Queens assemblyman is proposing legislation that would close high school campuses statewide to teen drivers.

Green Thumbs for Silver Spoons (New York Magazine, Nov 25, 2007)

Are Condos Bad for Schools? (New York Magazine, Nov 25, 2007)

City Students Got Break on National Test (NY Sun, Nov 21, 2007)

Texas Drops Math Curriculum that New York City Mandates (NY Sun, Nov 20, 2007)

City Bows to State on a School Improvement Plan (NY Times, Nov 20, 2007)

Action Filed Over School Admissions (NY Times, Nov 20, 2007)

Fired Principal of Arabic School Sues City (City Room, Nov 20, 2007)

Mayor's Agenda Intact Under Spitzer Education Contract (NY Sun, Nov 19, 2007)
A new education funding contract Governor Spitzer is announcing today extracts some concessions from New York City, but the changes are not seen as likely to affect Mr. Bloomberg's main policy agenda.

Columbia Meets Some Striker Demands (Columbia Spectator, Nov 16, 2007)

Little Progress for City Schools on National Test (NY Times, Nov 16, 2007)
New York City’s eighth graders have made no significant progress in reading and math since Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg took control of the city schools, according to federal test scores released yesterday, in contrast with the largely steady gains that have been recorded on state tests.

When the Gown Devours the Town (City Room, Nov 16, 2007)

New Effort to Remove Bad Teachers (NY Times, Nov 15, 2007)

City Students Stalled on National Education Tests (NY Sun, Nov 15, 2007)

Schools Being Closed Did Not Receive Report Cards (Daily News, Nov 14, 2007)

City Unveils Environmentally Friendly School (NY Post, Nov 14, 2007)

Bake Sale Protests Toxic School Locations (Metro, Nov 13, 2007)

Pilot Program To Use Cell Phones to Inspire (NY Times, Nov 13, 2007)

Mayor Threatens to Halt U.N. Visits on Safety Concerns (NY Sun, Nov 13, 2007)

Brooklyn Tech Gets B (NY Post, Nov 13, 2007)

Elite City Schools Nearly Graded "C" (Village Voice, Nov 9, 2007)

Bard President to Meet With City Over C Grade (NY Times, Nov 9, 2007)

Thousands of Students Receive Cash Rewards (NY Post, Nov 8, 2007)

Parents React to School Grades (NY Times, Nov 7, 2007)
The day after the city announced the grades, and over coffee, during play dates and on Internet chat sites, parents across the city discussed the meaning of the grades, which are based on a complex calculation giving the most weight to how individual students improved in a year’s time on standardized state tests, and compare schools with similar populations as judged by demographics and incoming students’ test scores

School Grades Could Affect Home Prices (Daily News, Nov 7, 2007)
Homeowners and real estate agents are bracing for the fallout from the city's decision to give letter grades for the first time to all public schools. Several schools long-considered to be among the best - so much so that they affect property values - earned less than stellar grades.

More Ratings for City Schools (NY Sun, Nov 7, 2007)
Two companies known for their guides to colleges will rate some New York City high schools. Princeton Review has released "Best New York City Private & Selective Public High Schools," a book that includes profiles of more than 70 schools, and in December U.S. News & World Report magazine will release a ranking of America's 500 best high schools.

Charter Schools Did Not Get Grades (NY Post, Nov 7, 2007)
While the city graded 1,224 public schools, report cards for its 60 charter schools were stamped with a different mark: incomplete. That's because charter schools don't measure student, teacher and parent satisfaction using the same Department of Education surveys, officials say.

How Good Schools Flunk (Daily News, Nov 7, 2007)
A look at the factors that could result in a highly regarded school like Public School 35 on Staten Island - where students annually ace state reading and math exams - getting an F from the city.

School Report Cards Out, 50 Fail (NY Sun, Nov 6, 2007)

New York Schools Brace to Be Scored, A to F (NY Times, Nov 4, 2007)
This week marks the release of report cards from the Education Department that will, for the first time, grade New York City schools on a scale of A through F.

Schools to Get Letter Grades Next Week (Associated Press, Nov 2, 2007)

Cellphones as a Reward for Good Schoolwork (NY Times, Nov 1, 2007)

University Systems Aim To Cut Achievement Gaps (NY Sun, Nov 1, 2007)

Education Department Tries to Discredit Critic (NY Sun, Oct 31, 2007)
A scathing opinion piece deriding Diane Ravitch, a leading education historian and critic of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's education policies, was generated with the help of city officials, sources said yesterday.

Schools to Limit Gifted Program (NY Times, Oct 30, 2007)

Doctors Missed Deadly Infection (NY Post, Oct 30, 2007)

Harlem Church Sues for Right To Run Charter (NY Sun, Oct 26, 2007)

And Now, Merit Pay for Bureaucrats (NY Sun, Oct 26, 2007)

Schools Embrace Environment and Sow Debate (NY Times, Oct 25, 2007)

Thompson, Administration Clash on Schools (Daily News, Oct 24, 2007)
City Comptroller William Thompson got a tongue-lashing from education officials on Tuesday after he said the jury is still out on whether Mayor Michael Bloomberg's changes in the school system have made much of a difference to students.

Thompson Gives City Vocational Schools Failing Grade (NY 1, Oct 24, 2007)
At a speech to the Association for a Better New York, City Comptroller Bill Thompson "criticized the city for its waning support for career and technical education. He said vocational schools are more successful than other high schools in keeping students in class until Graduation Day. His office reports vocational schools lack funding, qualified teachers, and up-to-date equipment."

Free After-School Program to Add Thousands of Kids (NY Post, Oct 19, 2007)

Teachers Agree to Bonus Pay Tied to Scores (NY Times, Oct 18, 2007)

Deal on Teacher Merit Pay May Sway National Debate (NY Sun, Oct 18, 2007)

Khalil Gibran Founding Principal Says Officials Forced Her Out (Daily Politics, Oct 17, 2007)

Getting Locally Grown Carrots Onto Students' Lunchtrays (NY Times, Oct 17, 2007)

Plunge in Applicants for College Anticipated (NY Sun, Oct 17, 2007)

City Students Will Cash In For Top Test Scores (NY Sun, Oct 15, 2007)
New York City public school students will have another opportunity to turn high test scores into cash this year, thanks to a private project that is offering as much as $1,000 for a top score on an exam.

Student's Personal Records Thought to be Stolen End up at Daily News (Daily News, Oct 11, 2007)

Safety Agents Are Defended After Two Arrests at City School (NY Times, Oct 11, 2007)

Charter School Chief Chosen (NY Sun, Oct 10, 2007)
After nine months without an executive director, the city's charter school office will get a new leader this month -- Michael Thomas Duffy, who now runs an inner-city charter school in Boston

Principal Arrested at Manhattan School (NY Post, Oct 10, 2007)
Police arrested a principal at his Manhattan high school yesterday after he wrestled with security guards in an attempt to stop them from embarrassing a student by marching her out of the building in handcuffs, according to police.

Principal’s Arrest Puts Focus on Police in Schools (NY Times, Oct 10, 2007)
A Manhattan high school principal was arrested a day before a City Council hearing into the training and conduct of school security agents who work under the jurisdiction of the Police Department although they patrol city schools. Parents and principals have claimed that students sometimes are arrested for simple misbehavior.

Principals Brace For School Grades (Daily News, Oct 9, 2007)

City Wins Bike Friendly Award (Daily News, Oct 9, 2007)

City Hall Academy Closes (NY Times, Oct 6, 2007)
When City Hall Academy opened in 2003 as a center devoted to teaching New York City’s history, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg made sure it was ensconced on the ground floor of Education Department headquarters to symbolize his passion for improving the schools.

Schools Pay Big Markup for Custodial Supplies (NY Sun, Oct 5, 2007)

Pre-K Boost On Hold (Chief-Leader, Oct 5, 2007)

City Will Help Pension Plans Build Housing for Teachers (NY Times, Oct 5, 2007)

City Is Pushing Colleges To Expand Into Poorer Areas (NY Sun, Oct 4, 2007)

Academics Will Assess City Schools (NY Times, Oct 3, 2007)

High Court Seems To Tilt Toward City on Special Ed (NY Sun, Oct 2, 2007)

School Buses to Get GPS Technology (Associated Press, Sep 28, 2007)

State Students See Mixed Results on National Test (NY Post, Sep 26, 2007)

Comptroller: Special Education Busing Still Delayed (NY Post, Sep 25, 2007)

Class Size Reduction Small, Says Report (NY Sun, Sep 25, 2007)

Teachers Union Says City Has Fewer Overcrowded Classes (Daily News, Sep 21, 2007)

High School Violence Undercounted (Daily News, Sep 20, 2007)

Push to Reinstate Khalil Gibran School's Principal (Newsday, Sep 20, 2007)

Charter School Audit Flunks City (NY Post, Sep 20, 2007)

City Schools Win Prestigious Education Prize (NY Sun, Sep 19, 2007)

New School Plans New Building on Fifth Avenue (Metro, Sep 19, 2007)

Mayor Challenged on Class Size Statements (NY Sun, Sep 12, 2007)
Some city education advocates want Mayor Bloomberg to correct his statements saying that lowering class sizes is not the top priority of public school parents, but the mayor is not budging. The dispute stems from how each side views the results of a recent citywide parent survey and is the latest round in an ongoing battle over whether the Department of Education should place more emphasis on reducing the number of students in city classrooms.

Stated Meeting: Jamaica Rezoned to Create Transit Hub (Gotham Gazette, Sep 11, 2007)

Klein to Probe School 911 Policy (Daily News, Sep 11, 2007)

Quinn Clashes With Bloomberg Over Cell Phone Ban (NY Sun, Sep 11, 2007)
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn refused to rule out the possibility that the council would sue Mayor Bloomberg to force compliance with a new law that says students have the right to carry cell phones to and from school.

UFT Finds State Reading Tests to be Dumbed Down (NY Sun, Sep 7, 2007)

Schools Survey Reveals Variety Of Wants (NY 1, Sep 7, 2007)

City Hires Record Number of Teachers (Crain's, Sep 6, 2007)

Klein to Give Graduation Rates and Test Scores to Independent Auditors (Daily News, Sep 6, 2007)

Arabic School Opens Smoothly (Newsday, Sep 5, 2007)

Advocates Call for Independent Audit of School Testing (Daily News, Sep 5, 2007)

School House Doors Greet Policy Changes (NY Times, Sep 5, 2007)

Gifted, Talented Seats Go Unfilled (NY Post, Sep 4, 2007)

Schools to Open with Big Changes (NY Times, Sep 3, 2007)
Principals of the city’s 1,500 public schools will face an entirely new world when more than 1 million schoolchildren return to classes Sept. 4. Traditional superintendents’ offices have been eliminated and principals will be evaluated on the basis of a wide array of data and will have greater control over how they run their schools.

Third UFT Charter School Moves Forward (NY Sun, Aug 31, 2007)

NYU Plans a Branch in Abu Dhabi (NY Times, Aug 31, 2007)

Months After Shakeup, Teachers at Alternative Schools Still Without Jobs (Daily News, Aug 30, 2007)

City's SAT Scores Sink (NY Post, Aug 29, 2007)

Sex Offender Barred From Staten Island College (Metro, Aug 29, 2007)

Education Department Fixes Busing Rules (Daily News, Aug 27, 2007)
Education officials are tweaking several of the school bus eligibility rules that turned last year's route shakeup into a full-blown fiasco.

Rookie Teachers Get Pep Talk From Schools Officials (NY 1, Aug 23, 2007)

NYC Schools in 'Best College Towns' (Crain's, Aug 23, 2007)

Community Board Votes Against Columbia University Expansion (Newsday, Aug 22, 2007)

More Schools on Dangerous List (NY Times, Aug 22, 2007)
New York State education officials announced a list of 27 schools considered dangerous and all but two of them are in New York City. The number of city school considered dangerous rose sharply from 14 to 25, a rise the state attributed largely to better reporting.

City Disputes Dangerous Schools List (NY Sun, Aug 22, 2007)
City officials are downplaying a new list of "persistently dangerous" schools that the state Education Department nearly doubled yesterday, expanding the number to 25 from 14.

Quinn Chooses Congestion Commission Appointees (NY Sun, Aug 21, 2007)
The Speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, has chosen three non-elected officials to sit on the 17-member congestion pricing commission, council sources said.

The Battle to Build New Schools (City Limits, Aug 21, 2007)

Protests Over Arab Leader's Oust (NY Times, Aug 21, 2007)

City Caters to Potential High School Dropouts (NY Times, Aug 21, 2007)

Education Department Distances Itself From Khalil Gibran Rally (NY Sun, Aug 20, 2007)
The city's Department of Education is distancing itself from a rally in support of one of its own schools, the Arabic-language Khalil Gibran International Academy set to open in Brooklyn in two weeks.

Klein See Three R's For Three-Year-Olds (NY Post, Aug 19, 2007)
As Joel Klein reminisced about his first five years as the city's schools chancellor last week, he envisioned a future with kids starting school sooner - as young as age 3.

The Hard Life of a New York City Teaching Fellow (Village Voice, Aug 15, 2007)

Plans for New Arabic School Aroused Old Prejudices, Rivalries (NY Times, Aug 15, 2007)

Plan Presented for Low Performing Middle Schools (NY Times, Aug 14, 2007)

New Leader for Arabic School (NY Times, Aug 14, 2007)

Queens Library Number One in the Country (NY Sun, Aug 14, 2007)

Head of City’s Arabic School Steps Down Under Pressure (Newsday, Aug 13, 2007)
Debbie Almontaser stepped down as the principal of Khalil Gibran International Academy after she was quoted defending the use of the word “intifada” as a T-shirt slogan.

Many Students Shun Free Breakfast (Daily News, Aug 8, 2007)

CUNY Attempts To Boost Its Competitive Status in City (NY Sun, Jul 30, 2007)
City University of New York's ratcheting-up of admissions standards is its latest attempt to put its top-tier colleges in the same league as private universities such as New York University and Columbia.

Mayoral Control of Schools Could End or Change in 2009 (NY Sun, Jul 27, 2007)

Bloomberg to Veto Cell Phone Bill (NY Post, Jul 27, 2007)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday that he would veto a bill passed by City Council Wednesday that would allow city public school students to bring their cell phones to and from schools, though not necessarily have the cell phones in school. Bloomberg said the bill does not change anything and exceeds council’s authority by interfering in the running of the schools.

Bloomberg Gets Higher Marks for Schools (NY Post, Jul 27, 2007)
The number of people who think mayoral control of schools under Michael Bloomberg has been a success has shot up dramatically in the last three months, according to a poll released yesterday.

More Spin than Substance: A Conservative Critic on Mayoral Control of Schools (City Journal, Jul 27, 2007)

Fordham Plans Expansion of Lincoln Square Campus (NY Sun, Jul 26, 2007)

City to Battle Supreme Court Over Education (NY Sun, Jul 20, 2007)

Plan for School Funds Will Set Targets for Class Size, Klein Says (NY Post, Jul 18, 2007)

Area Residents Fight Queens College Dormitory (Metro, Jul 18, 2007)

Klein's Spending Plan Meets Opposition (NY Sun, Jul 16, 2007)
The city schools chancellor could face a showdown tonight as he sends Albany a final proposal for how the city will spend an influx of new state funds.

Advocates Criticize City Plan to Spend State Education Money (NY Sun, Jul 11, 2007)

Summer Meals Program at Some Schools to End Before Summer Does (Metro, Jul 11, 2007)

Department of Education To Hire 1,300 New Teachers (NY Post, Jul 9, 2007)
The city wants to hire 1,300 new teachers to reduce class sizes, using some of the millions of dollars in extra school funding it wrangled from the state, the Department of Education said yesterday.

Deptartment of Education Looks to Protect Student Computer Data (NY Post, Jul 6, 2007)

Class-Size Plan Would Add 1,300 Teachers (NY Sun, Jul 6, 2007)
Bowing to new state regulations, the city is releasing a plan to reduce class size in the public schools that would spend $106 million to hire at least 1,300 new teachers and create 400 new classrooms next year.

Small Schools Are Ahead in Graduation (NY Post, Jul 2, 2007)
Most of the small public high schools set up by the Bloomberg administration have made considerable advances over the large high schools they replaced.

City Schools Untouched by Supreme Court Race Ruling (Daily News, Jun 29, 2007)

Chancellor Wants to Eliminate Race from High School Admission Tests (NY Post, Jun 26, 2007)

State, City Math Scores Rise (NY Times, Jun 13, 2007)
Math scores for students across New York State improved significantly this year, pushed higher by consistent performance gains in New York City, according to scores on the annual statewide math exam released by state officials today.

(NY Sun, Jun 13, 2007)
New York City's progress on the state math test brings it closer to closing a historic gap with statewide averages. In 2002, the city-state gap for fourth-graders was 16 percentage points. This year it was just six, and the eighth-grade gap fell to 13 points from 18 in 2002.

Math Scores Rise for Students in Grades 3 to 8 (Daily News, Jun 12, 2007)

A Plan to Pay for Top Scores on Some Tests Gains Ground (NY Times, Jun 11, 2007)
Roland G. Fryer, a 30-year-old Harvard economist known for his study of racial inequality in schools, is back in New York to again promote a big idea: Pay students cash for high scores on standardized tests and their performance might improve. And he has captured the attention of Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Crime Drops Since Police Began Patrolling School Hallways (Daily News, Jun 11, 2007)
Crime in the city's public schools has dropped by a third since the NYPD began patrolling the hallways - a clear sign that the police are doing something right, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says.

School Officials Consider Cash Incentives for Student Achievement (Daily News, Jun 8, 2007)

Council Overrides Whistleblower Veto (Daily News, Jun 7, 2007)
City Council rejected Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s veto of a bill to extend whistleblower protection to any city employee who reports conduct or actions that put the health, safety or educational welfare of children at risk or in jeopardy, despite allegations the bill was redundant.

Merit Pay Set for Two Union Schools (NY Sun, Jun 7, 2007)
Two unionized schools are among the 10 in the city set to begin a merit-pay plan next year, but the plan could face resistance from the union, the United Federation of Teachers.

City Law Would Expand Whistleblower Shield (NY Sun, Jun 5, 2007)
The City Council is expected to override a mayoral veto today, voting into law a bill aimed at protecting city employees who report when a child is facing "educational harm."

City To Revamp Schools for Troubled Students (Daily News, May 25, 2007)
The city is revamping its schools for troubled students and axing several failing programs - including schools for pregnant girls, officials said.

Reading Scores Mixed (NY Sun, May 23, 2007)

Scores Down, City Officials Blame Feds (Daily News, May 23, 2007)

City Defends How It Measures High School Graduation Rates (NY Post, May 22, 2007)

Public School Playgrounds Open for Summer (NY Post, May 18, 2007)

Teachers Union Members May Grow 25 Percent (NY Sun, May 18, 2007)

School Taxes Soar, Despite State Aid Hike (NY Sun, May 17, 2007)
This year's record increase in state education aid didn't stop school districts from raising local property taxes, as voters across the state yesterday overwhelmingly approved bigger budgets and higher tax levies to pay for the extra spending.

Parents Say School Changes Happening Too Quickly (Inside Schools, May 16, 2007)

Arabic School Finds New Home (NY Times, May 10, 2007)

New School Budgets Announced (NY Times, May 9, 2007)
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein released next year’s budgets for New York City’s more than 1,400 public schools yesterday, using a new, simpler financing system that seeks to give more money to schools serving low-achieving students, children from low-income families and those who speak limited English.

Brooklyn School Is Dropped as Site of Arabic Academy (NY Post, May 5, 2007)
Responding to an outcry from parents, the city yesterday dropped plans to have a Brooklyn elementary school share its building with a new Arabic-language secondary school.

City Students Lag in Regents Diplomas (NY Sun, May 4, 2007)

A Lack of Interest (and Candidates) in New System (NY Times, Apr 30, 2007)
Elections begin on Monday for the 34 parent councils that replaced New York City’s community school boards when Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg won control of the school system in 2002.

In Harlem, Bush Praises Charter Schools (NY Sun, Apr 25, 2007)

President Bush Visits Charter School in Harlem (NY Sun, Apr 24, 2007)

Department of Education May Allow Principals To Expels Parents from PTAs (NY Post, Apr 23, 2007)
Principals may soon have the power to expel parents from PTAs. The city Department of Education is mulling a stunning policy change that would allow principals to ban parents from the volunteer.

Bloomberg Compromises on School Funding (NY Times, Apr 20, 2007)
Ceding ground to the city teachers’ union, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced changes yesterday to his plan for a new school budgeting system. The changes mean that it will be harder and take longer for the mayor to redistribute senior teachers, who tend to cluster in middle-class neighborhoods, more evenly across the school system.

Investigators Question "Luxury Lounge" for Education Officials (Daily News, Apr 13, 2007)

Educational Whistleblower Bill Would Face Veto (NY Sun, Apr 12, 2007)
Mayor Bloomberg said he would veto a City Council bill aimed at protecting city employees who report the "educational harm" of a child, and suggested yesterday that the teachers union is behind the proposal.

School Reorganization to Eliminate 2,000 Administrative Posts (Daily News, Apr 11, 2007)

As City Shuts Large Schools, Tilden High Fights for Its Life (Village Voice, Apr 11, 2007)

Group Sues to Block City School Plan in the Bronx (Metro, Apr 10, 2007)

Department of Education To Revamp How It Investigates Student Violence (Daily News, Apr 9, 2007)
The Department of Education will revamp how it investigates student-on-student violence on school buses and beef up supervision of the unit that handles such complaints.

School Funding Varies Across State (NY Sun, Apr 6, 2007)

New York City Universities Hike Tuition, Fees (Crain's, Apr 6, 2007)

Mayor Blasts State for Slow Move on Charter Schools (NY Post, Apr 3, 2007)
Calling provisions in the state budget that could slow the opening of more charter schools "a disgrace," an irate Mayor Bloomberg yesterday teed off on legislators he claimed were trying to limit parental choice.

State Attorney General Settles Student Loan Charges for $5.27M (Crain's, Apr 3, 2007)

School Aid Fight Erupts in Albany as Budget Passes (NY Times, Apr 2, 2007)
Lawmakers finished passing an estimated $120.9 billion budget Sunday morning that they had not had time to read and had barely debated. But almost immediately after the final vote, the governor’s staff and the Legislature began to dispute what was written in the most contentious portion of the budget — education — underscoring the secretive nature of the negotiations that led to thousands of pages of legislation.

State Approves 50 New City Charter Schools (Daily News, Mar 30, 2007)

Columbia Plans First Eviction to Make Way for Campus Expansion (NY Sun, Mar 28, 2007)

Can a Charter School Born in the Hamptons Survive in NYC? (New York Magazine, Mar 28, 2007)

Council Members Seek to Stop School Plan (NY Sun, Mar 28, 2007)
City Council members critical of the mayor's proposed education reorganization are introducing a resolution calling on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to postpone the plan.

Department of Education Fails to Answer Questions about Special Education, Public Advocate Says (Daily News, Mar 26, 2007)
Answers aren't easy to come by for parents of city special education students, according to a survey by the public advocate's office. Investigators posing as parents made 98 calls to city special education staffers last year and found that they were able to reach the appropriate person only 47% of the time, the Waiting for Help survey found.

Mayor Said Children Should Be Protected From Abuse On School Bus (Daily News, Mar 24, 2007)
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday admitted that the city should have done a better job in protecting school kids from physical and sexual abuse aboard school buses.

Chancellor Orders Overhaul of School Bus Policy (Daily News, Mar 23, 2007)

Council Will Look Into Abuse on School Buses (Daily News, Mar 22, 2007)
A City Council committee will hold hearings next month to examine the Department of Education's handling of physical and sexual abuse aboard city school buses as detailed in a Daily News investigative series.

Albany Divided on Calculation of School Aid (NY Times, Mar 19, 2007)
Facing a court order that said city schools were being shortchanged, Gov. Eliot Spitzer is trying to change the way the pie is divided.

Cuomo Attacks Corruption in Students Loans (NY Times, Mar 16, 2007)

Eight More Middle Schools Listed as Failing (NY Times, Mar 16, 2007)
In a sign of deep troubles in New York City’s middle schools, state officials yesterday identified nine additional city schools in danger of being shut down for academic failure — eight of them serving the middle grades.

Four Revamped Schools on Failing List (Daily News, Mar 16, 2007)
Of nine city schools added yesterday to the state's failing school list, four middle schools had recently been created to replace an earlier generation of schools shut down for poor performance. Teachers union President Randi Weingarten issued a statement calling the shutdowns a "reorganizational shell game where they close a school, reopen it with a new name, new principal and new staff and do nothing to really turn it around."

Council Lends Support To (NY Sun, Mar 15, 2007)
The City Council is standing behind a "milk-choice" coalition calling on the Department of Education to return flavored low-fat milk to public school cafeterias.

Council Bans Metal Bats in High School (NY Post, Mar 15, 2007)
The use of aluminum bats has been debated for years both from a competitive standpoint and increasingly for safety reasons.

City Officials Attack State School Budget (NY Sun, Mar 14, 2007)

A Second-Hand Plan for Schools? (Metro, Mar 14, 2007)
City Comptroller William Thompson says the latest school reorganization plan, hatched by the same consulting firm that advised the Department of Education to change school bus routes, is simply a rehash of the plan the firm gave the New Orleans schools system.

Sharpton Opposes Latest School Reorganization Plan (NY Post, Mar 14, 2007)

City, State to Address Discrepancy in Graduation Rate (NY Sun, Mar 9, 2007)
City and state education officials are working to narrow the wide discrepancy between the city's calculation of its graduation rate and the much lower numbers reported by the state, education official. The city calculates that 58 percent of its students graduated in 2005, while the state puts the umber at 43 percent. Unlike the state, the city counts students as graduates if they receive a GED or graduate later than June, and it excludes special education students from its calculations.

Investigators Launch A Prone Into Financial Dealing of Deputy School Chancellor (NY Post, Mar 5, 2007)
City investigators have launched a probe into recent financial dealings of Deputy Schools Chancellor Chris Cerf, the former president of Edison Schools Inc. who hastily dumped his equity stake in the company last month, The Post has learned.

On Air and in Church, Mayor Takes a Tone of Reassurance on Schools (NY Times, Mar 5, 2007)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg used his weekly radio address and visits to two churches to remind parents that improving the nation’s largest school system was a complex task.

City Council Zeros In On Principal Power (NY Post, Mar 4, 2007)
A program giving public-school principals more funding, power and accountability is going under the microscope at a City Council Education Committee hearing tomorrow.

Critics of Mayoral Control Grow, May Seek 2009 Changes (NY Sun, Mar 1, 2007)

Schools Chancellor Fails To Impress Albany Skeptics (Daily News, Feb 28, 2007)
In his two hours before a state legislative committee yesterday, Schools Chancellor Joel Klein tried to accentuate the positive - but the lawmakers weren't buying it.

Case Before The Supreme Court (Involving MTV Founder Thomas Freston): Should Parents Of Disabled Be Reimbursed For Tuition In Private School If They Haven (NY Sun, Feb 27, 2007)

New York Teachers In Trouble Doubled Over Last 5 Years (NY Post, Feb 26, 2007)
Nearly twice as many state educators were busted for behaving badly during the past school year compared to the same period in 2001, a new report revealed yesterday.

Faced with Parent Complaints, Education Department Restores 17 School Bus Routes (Daily News, Feb 23, 2007)