Michael Elsen-Rooney

Michael Elsen-Rooney

Reporter, Chalkbeat New York

Mike Elsen-Rooney writes about New York City public schools. Before joining Chalkbeat, he covered education for the New York Daily News, Columbia Journalism School’s Teacher Project and The Hechinger Report. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, USA Today, and The Boston Globe Magazine. Mike started his career as a high school Spanish teacher and afterschool program coordinator in the Washington DC area.

Students from Zeta Charter School in the Bronx were disappointed when their Capitol tour was canceled by the government shutdown. But they soon got an unforgettable civics lesson.

Dylan Lopez Contreras, a Bronx high school student detained by federal agents in May, was denied asylum and ordered back to Venezuela. His lawyers are appealing the ruling.

"Esta detención injusta ha frustrado y paralizado mi educación y mis esfuerzos momentáneamente", dijo Dylan. "Pero no me hará renunciar a esforzarme por alcanzar mis metas educativas".

New York City schools face major policy changes from class size caps to a statewide cellphone ban and a pivotal mayoral election that could reshape the system midyear.

At M.S. 50, educators believe that student debaters make the best arguments when they believe what they’re saying — and it draws on their own experiences.

Officials aim to bring in 3,700 extra new teachers on top of normal annual hiring to help reduce class sizes across the city.