‘It is unacceptable for NYC schools to continue to expect students to succeed knowing that access to reliable internet connection and devices still remains spotty at best.’
‘Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents have a legal right to have access to information in their preferred languages. This is not an optional service for the NYC Department of Education, it’s the law.’
‘I want our children to be good ancestors and citizens of the world, to see the beauty in all voices and stories. But to do that, they need to see diverse representation not just in their neighborhood, but in their school curriculum as well.’
As the number of COVID cases rises across the city again, some parents want the DOE and other schools across the city to restore a remote learning option. Mayor Bill de Blasio has resisted, saying getting kids back to school in-person is essential to overcoming pandemic learning loss, and pointing to low transmission rates in city classrooms.
The de Blasio administration has proposed an increase in spending for student mental health initiatives, but advocates and council members are pushing for more.
‘The pandemic has widened the gap between young people with the educational and support systems they need and those without, making the issue of unequal opportunity ever more urgent.’
Data released recently by the Department of Education for January shows students living in the shelter system saw the most absences, with a monthly attendance rate of 75.7 percent compared to the citywide rate for all students, which was 89.2 percent.
‘Essential government-funded youth programs could be repurposed to transform the current potpourri of citywide services into a comprehensive public-private partnership focused on creating a rigorous academic tutoring system, with education and youth workers at the core.’
‘Fifty-five percent of city public schools didn’t have a music educator, even before the COVID-19 pandemic…one aspect of that rebuilding must be integrating music as a core subject in the curriculum and ensuring all city schools have certified music educators.’
The city offer prioritized COVID-19 testing for DOE staff and students at 34 sites across the city. But only for seven days.