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.

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.

PLACE, a polarizing education advocacy group, lost seats in Manhattan’s District 2 amid a controversial push to rethink transgender students’ access to sports teams.

In his first public statement since being detained by immigration authorities last month, Bronx high schooler Dylan Lopez Contreras expressed anger over his detention but also gratitude for the outpouring of support.

New York City schools receive more than $2 billion a year in federal funds. How would the next mayor respond if President Donald Trump threatens to withhold it?