Eric Adams
The bump in reading scores is good news for Mayor Eric Adams’ literacy overhaul. But the results can’t definitively show whether curriculum changes are driving the gains.
Education Department officials released the admissions statistics shortly after Chalkbeat published a story about the delays.
The delays have raised eyebrows among school integration advocates, government accountability groups, and even former department officials.
Adams said the Trump administration’s move to freeze billions in federal education spending would not slow his effort to expand after-school programs.
City officials are under pressure to show that Eric Adams’ curriculum overhaul is working. New data paints an encouraging picture but should be interpreted with caution, experts say.
Mayor Eric Adams announced the ‘fly’ initiative to bring financial educators, free counseling, and in-school banking to NYC students, starting with 15 districts this fall.
Offers for New York City’s free preschool programs went out last week. In some neighborhoods, demand outstripped supply, but in others, thousands of seats will go unfilled.
A funding shortfall in the state budget forced New York City to freeze enrollment for a popular child care voucher program for low-income families.
Overall, Adams’ executive budget proposes roughly $18.3 billion in city funding for the Education Department’s operating budget, a $670 million increase from this year.
The mayor’s reading and math curriculum mandates will cover all middle schools by fall 2027. It will likely fall to his successor to implement them.
City officials also promised to help stabilize Head Start providers facing funding threats from the Trump administration.
Out of the city’s roughly 1,600 schools, a whopping 80% have been identified to have asbestos and are required by federal law to be inspected every three years.
Principals said they were grateful for the additional money, but expressed worry that a cutthroat hiring season could make it hard to find quality teachers.
The rally on Thursday was the culmination of a project in 10th-grade English classes at Leaders High School in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.
The council asked for nearly $300 million more for early childhood education, which has emerged as a major sticking point in recent budget negotiations.
The Panel for Educational Policy agreed to hold off on awarding the contract despite warnings from city officials about setting a dangerous precedent.
Advocates have fought to make funding for the mental health program permanent. But Adams once again left it out of his preliminary budget.
Facing a shortage of school safety staff, NYPD officials announced plans in 2023 to hire hundreds of “assistant” agents as young as 18. The program has yet to launch.
Staffers say the shortage has created long lines at metal detectors, making students late to class. In one case, a student was stabbed in an area safety agents once patrolled.
Some families and educators in New York City are preparing students for what to do if they run into federal immigration agents outside of school.