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.

Reports

Helping Children with Special Needs
In this report, the Center for an Urban Future examines support services for children with developmental and emotional disabilities, and what the child welfare system must do to address their needs. (April 10, 2007)

A Thousand Cuts: Workforce Development Funding
A report by the Center for an Urban Future tracks the decline in funding for workforce development, programs designed to help students, jobseekers and workers gain new credentials and skills. The study follows cuts in 28 active funding streams, administered by 11 different agencies within state or federal government. The report (in pdf format) concludes that "New Yorkers do not derive as much value as we could from these investments" because of a lack of attention and coordination of efforts. (March 27, 2007)

Wasteful Spending in Pre-K Program
The city's universal pre-kingergarten program wasted $785,000 in overpayments, inappropriate payments, and questionable activities, according to this audit by the city comptroller's office. Funds given to non-public schools for pre-k services were spent on karate uniforms, an air conditioner, and private sanitation services. (March 22, 2007)

Over-Policing of NYC Schools
A new report by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union, Criminalizing the Classroom: The Over-Policing of New York City Schools, documents the excesses of the policing operation in New York City's public schools and the penalties that students have paid as a result of those operations. (March 19, 2007)

Schools Needing Improvment
The New York State Department of Education yesterday announced it had placed 35 more schools, nine of them in New York City, on its list of failing schools, known as Schools Under Registration Review. At the same time, state education commissioner Richard Mills announced he was removing six city schools from the list. This brings the total number of schools in the state on the list to 65, with 35 of them in the city. (March 16, 2007)

Sites for Beginners

NY State Department of Education

NY State School Boards Association

NYC Department of Education

Education Week on the Web

Recommended Sites

DonorsChoose

The Big Idea: Factory Town

Books

City Schools: Lessons from New York
by Diane Ravitch and Joseph Viteritti

In Schools We Trust: Creating Communities of Learning in an Era of Testing and Standardization
by Deborah Meier

New York City’s Best Public Elementary Schools: A Parents’ Guide
Public Middle Schools: New York City’s Best
New York City’s Best Public High Schools: A Parents’ Guide
by Clara Hemphill

Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom
by Lisa D. Delpit

Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools
by Jonathan Kozol