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Community & Wraparound Programs

Two parents pose with their daughter for a portrait in front of a banner that reads, “Back to School.”
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
After frustrating delay, NYC’s 2023-24 school calendar is live
The first day of school is Sept. 7. Spring holidays are spread out next year, with a day off for Good Friday on March 29 and for Eid al-Fitr on April 10, and with a week off for spring break, coinciding with Passover, starting April 22.
By Amy Zimmer
 
Students sit in a classroom wearing masks while a teacher leads a lesson in front of a screen.
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
NYC’s Summer Rising program rejected 45,000 applicants, launching scramble for child care
With just a month until the school year ends, families are scrambling to find alternate summer programs for their children.
By Reema Amin
 
A boy wearing a hooded sweatshirt with his face obscured hugs his mom.
From Chalkbeat New York Student & School Performance
Success Academy calls 911 on students in mental health crisis, writing its own rules
Families say publicly funded, privately run charter schools in New York are allowed to punish and discriminate against students by calling in emergency services.
By Abigail Kramer, THE CITY
 
Preschoolers’ jackets and boots or shoes are lined up in their cubbies.
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
Families and advocates fear end of NYC’s first free child care program for undocumented immigrants
Mayor Eric Adams has proposed ending Promise NYC, which has provided free child care to 600 undocumented immigrant children.
By Reema Amin
 
A woman in black and two men look through items at a clothing drive.
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
Migrants abruptly shuffled from Coney Island school to midtown office
The move came days after the Adams administration placed them in an elementary school gym, then faced protests.
By Gwynne Hogan, THE CITY
 
Lots of people sit crowded in chairs waiting to be relocated
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
What we know (and don’t know) about NYC’s plans to house migrants in school gyms
To house the influx of migrants, New York City might tap up to 20 gyms in public schools to use as shelters, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday. Tensions are rising over the plans.
By Alex Zimmerman and Amy Zimmer
 
A temporary shelter inside P.S. 172’s gym in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
Seven school gyms are housing migrants or could soon. Parents and pols are pushing back.
Some 500 asylum-seekers slept in a school gym on Staten Island over the weekend. By Monday city officials had identified six more gyms, all in Brooklyn, to cope with an evolving emergency.
By Gwynne Hogan, THE CITY
 
woman in orange pantsuit reads to students
From Chalkbeat New York Early Childhood Education
Boosting salaries and extending hours: NYC Council makes list of demands to improve public preschool programs
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams blasted the mayor’s approach to early childhood education, describing the system as “broken” and “in full crisis mode.
By Reema Amin
 
An image of a school bus.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
NYC schools handcuff and haul away kids in emotional crisis
Despite a pledge to stop relying on police to deal with students who have mental health episodes, New York City schools have continued to call 911 on kids in distress thousands of times a year, an investigation by THE CITY and ProPublica found.
By Abigail Kramer, THE CITY
 
Two young girls hold up a card as they talk during a social-emotional learning lesson. They sit on a grey carpet, and there is a drawing in front of them on pink paper that says “uncomfortable” with a drawing of a person holding their abdomen.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
Need mental health help for your child? Here’s how to get support in NYC schools
Schools are straining to keep up with counseling demand as mental health woes mount for young people. If your child needs help at school, here’s how to start.
By Amy Zimmer
 
A group of advocates gathered in front of a building with signs to ask state lawmakers for funding about for after-school programs
From Chalkbeat Chicago Community & Wraparound Programs
After-school providers and students call on Illinois officials to find funding for after-school programs
The Illinois State Board of Education told after-school providers that due to an error, they will not receive additional funding after fiscal year 2024. Now, students, parents, providers, and school districts are calling on the state board, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and the general assembly to make up the funding to continue programs.
By Samantha Smylie
 
A large office building fills the left side of the frame with a sign reading “Boulder Valley School District.” Mountains, trees, and blue sky can be seen in the distance.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Community & Wraparound Programs
Homelessness in Boulder Valley School District hits highest level since Great Recession
The district says resources to help those students — from free transportation to rental assistance — are nearly maxed out.
By John Herrick
 
A child with short dark hair and wearing a mask writes with a pencil while seated as a desk.
From Chalkbeat Newark Community & Wraparound Programs
Newark summer school registration is open through May 23. Here’s what to know.
The district will hold mandatory summer classes for struggling students, programming for students with disabilities, and optional activities for all students led by community partners.
By Jessie Gomez
 
A group of elementary-age children singing. They are holding sheet music.
From Chalkbeat Colorado First Person
It’s tough to build school community post-pandemic. Music helps.
Turnout for school events has been sparse, but a student concert packed our gym.
By Christine Ferris
 
Several parents and their children wait outside of a school building before the start of a summer program. They are all wearing protective masks.
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
Summer Rising applications are now open. Here’s everything you need to know
In its third year, the program will again have 110,000 spots and will be open to any child in New York City — but there are a couple changes to the application process.
By Reema Amin
 
A brick building sits in the background by a road. The building has a sign that reads “James Whitcomb Riley School 43.”
From Chalkbeat Indiana Community & Wraparound Programs
Indianapolis neighborhood calls for a community-run school after years of instability and discontent
The Butler-Tarkington Education Committee wants a neighborhood advisory committee to jointly run School 43, among other changes.
By Amelia Pak-Harvey
 
Students at P.S. 89 in Brooklyn await their families at the end of the school day during the last week of New York City’s 2020-2021 school year.
From Chalkbeat New York COVID Stimulus
As NYC enrollment has dropped, per-student spending has grown past $37K: report
The education department’s spending per pupil has increased by 46%, in large part due to the billions in federal COVID aid the district received as enrollment has dipped.
By Reema Amin
 
A group of young women pose for a picture
From Chalkbeat Newark Community & Wraparound Programs
‘Girls know what they want’: New Jersey girls expand programming to support local youth
The awards were made with the help of the New Jersey Justice Collaborative for Girls, a state-funded leadership and advocacy program for young women.
By Jessie Gomez
 
Two students in masks watch a cooking demonstration.
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
NYC’s summer youth jobs program will again have 100K spots. Here’s how to apply.
New features this summer include an effort to pair LGBTQ youth with affirming jobs and a small program to serve undocumented youth.
By Reema Amin
 
Students wearing backpacks and uniforms enter a school building one by one.
From Chalkbeat Newark Community & Wraparound Programs
Newark Board of Education approves $1.3 billion budget
Newark residents will cast their vote in April for next school year’s $1.3 billion budget blueprint that also boosts spending for English language learners.
By Jessie Gomez
 
Parents and students in bright blue and red costumes line up in front of a school mural outside of a brick building.
From Chalkbeat New York Meeting the Moment
Parent coordinators propped up school communities during the pandemic. Many feel undervalued and underpaid.
The role of parent coordinator became more critical and stressful during the pandemic. But salaries for the job, which New York City schools created 20 years ago, have not kept pace.
By Amy Zimmer
 
Two teens work on a “ShopBot” for computer-aided design and fabrication at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry.
From Chalkbeat Chicago Community & Wraparound Programs
Looking for a summer job? Applications for One Summer Chicago are open.
City residents ages 14 to 24 are eligible to apply for the six-week jobs program. New numbers show participation rates have yet to bounce back from a pandemic decline.
By Becky Vevea
 
Children sitting at tables give a thumps up to a teacher in the background
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
NYC’s Summer Rising program will prioritize students in city-run after-school programs
In one significant change, students who are already attending one of the city’s hundreds of DYCD-run after-school programs will also receive priority for Summer Rising.
By Reema Amin
 
People in rain coats hold signs and umbrellas while walking outside during a strike.
Politics & Policy Politics & Policy
Parents scramble — and voice support — as strike disrupts school in Los Angeles
As schools remain closed in Los Angeles, recreation centers help scrambling families.
By Gabrielle Birkner
 
A woman in a gray suit holds a microphone and stands on a school auditorium stage.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Politics & Policy
Interim MSCS leader outlines her vision for district as superintendent search narrows
Toni Williams addresses key constituencies in reviewing district’s progress, priorities
By Laura Testino
 
A third grade boy sits at the edge of a fountain, smiling toward the camera.
From Chalkbeat New York Chronic Absenteeism
School bus delays help drive chronic absenteeism for students with disabilities, advocates say
Students with disabilities are disproportionately harmed by the hundreds of school buses delayed each day, New York City parents and advocates say. The bus driver shortage has only made things worse.
By Amanda Geduld
 
Two pairs of hands are shown working on an activity for young children. The smaller pair of hands holds a marker and a marker cap, while the larger pair of hands points to the paper.
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
As NYC ditches universal 3-K, city hires consultant to study where to move seats
The study comes after Mayor Eric Adams decided earlier this year to pause the expansion of the preschool program for 3-year-olds as planned under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
By Reema Amin
 
A swimming pool lane marked by blue, red, white dividers.
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
NYC council bills would make it easier to open public school pools year-round
The proposals, which include figuring out where to build new pools, aim to create a stronger lifeguard pipeline in New York City.
By Katie Honan, THE CITY
 
A teacher points to a piece of pink construction paper that has a stick figure drawing and the word “uncomfortable” on it. The teacher is sitting on the rug. Only her feet and hands are visible.
From Chalkbeat New York Meeting the Moment
Telehealth, suicide prevention, social media guardrails: NYC shares sweeping youth mental health plan
The needs are high as data shows worsening mental health among young people, including more students reporting thoughts of suicide.
By Reema Amin and Amy Zimmer
 
A man in an apron and white shirt stands in the middle of a crowd of people sitting in chairs.
From Chalkbeat New York LGBTQ+
LGBTQ+ youth can apply for ‘affirming’ summer jobs under NYC program
Details are so far scarce on what “SYEP Pride” will look like, or what will define a safe and affirming workplace, but officials are hoping to reach “a few hundred” youth.
By Reema Amin
 
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