The rationale for this proposed change is that it will benefit marginalized children. Except that it won’t. We know it won’t. It will, instead, hurt precisely those it’s supposed to help. Read more at: https://edadvance.substack.com/p/if-mamdani-cuts-gifted-education-in-new-york-city
We know what’ll happen if advanced education is cut in New York. Why doesn’t Mamdani? Read More »
Families with older students are most likely to oppose the blanket edict; others say a one-size-fits-all approach needs to be changed. Read more at: https://www.the74million.org/article/from-bring-it-on-to-this-policy-is-crazy-nyc-parents-react-to-cellphone-ban/
From ‘Bring It On’ to ‘This Policy Is Crazy,’ NYC Parents React to Cellphone Ban Read More »
One of the most common questions that I hear from New York City parents is: When must my child start Kindergarten? For public schools, the answer is simple: Your child must start public school Kindergarten the calendar year when they turn 5. It doesn’t matter if their birthday is in early January, and they will
Could This Change Unshackle Grades from Age in NYC Schools? Read More »
My August 17, 2025 article for The 74 entitled NYC Teachers Believe Many Kids Are Gifted & Talented. Why Doesn’t the District? was my second attempt. The editor thought my first draft went into too much detail about how many children actually qualified for NYC’s Gifted & Talented public school programs. She explained that the
How Many NYC Students are Truly Gifted? Read More »
In 2020, around 3,500 incoming New York City kindergartners were deemed eligible for a public school gifted-and-talented program. In 2021, that number spiked up to over 10,000. What happened to nearly triple the number of identified “gifted” students in NYC in a single year? Find out, as well as what that means for your child’s education at:
NYC Teachers Believe Many Kids Are Gifted & Talented. Why Doesn’t the District? Read More »
In the end, I am most enamored of a quote Makihara heard from her son’s cram school teacher: “Please remember that these children have only been in the world for a short five years. If they fail, please blame yourselves.” Read more at: https://edadvance.substack.com/p/a-book-that-shows-how-much-america-underestimates-its-students
A book that shows how much America underestimates its students Read More »
My third child graduated from NYC Public Schools in June. I wrote about how, even though I was no longer an NYC public school parent, I hoped I would continue to advocate just as vociferously for all NYC kids, for one of my regular education outlets, The 74 Million. They thought the piece was too
Sharing Our NYC Schools Stories Read More »
everal studies have concluded that kids who are youngest in their class are disproportionately diagnosed with ADHD. A Michigan study found that kindergartners who are the youngest in their grade are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest in their grade. And it doesn’t affect just kindergarteners: A North Carolina study
Many Kids Aren’t Ready for School Before Age 5. So Why Do They Have to Go Anyway? Read More »
These schools have long been a safe haven for non-Christian families. A Hindu mom told me, “I went to a Christian-ish school in India. My mother and grandmother went to Catholic schools. We all remain scrupulously observant Hindus.” One key appeal is that Catholic and Christian schools are not as expensive as NYC’s independent schools
Why NYC jewish families are choosing catholic and christian schools Read More »
My third child graduated from her public high school on June 20, bringing to an end my over two decades of participation in the New York City educational system. But I wasn’t just a passive observer. While my children were in public schools, I was also an advocate. Here are three things I learned after
Lessons Learned from 20-Plus Years of Public School Parent Advocacy Read More »
