Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

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michael mulgrew

welcome party

New York
Updated February 28, 2018

Ideological foes express cautious optimism about NYC’s incoming schools chief, Alberto Carvalho

Reactions from Success CEO Eva Moskowitz, AFT President Randi Weingarten, and others to news of NYC's next chancellor.

pros and cons of con con

New York
November 6, 2017

What does your ‘Con Con’ vote mean for education? Here’s what you need to know.

Here’s what you need to know about how a constitutional convention could affect New York state education.

testing talk

New York
August 22, 2017

‘Virtually meaningless’ or ‘steady progress’? New York City reacts to this year’s state test scores

The annual release of test scores created a wave of reactions from education stakeholders across the state.

change over time

New York
August 9, 2017

Why do New York City educators not get paid family leave? A teacher’s petition reignites a fight

Teachers union members must use their own accrued sick days to take time off after having a child.

Making the grade

New York
July 13, 2017

New data show more than half of NYC teachers judged, in part, by test scores they don’t directly affect

Just over half of New York City teachers were evaluated in part by tests in subjects or of students they didn’t teach in 2016.

moving on

New York
June 8, 2017

Longtime principals union president Ernest Logan announces his retirement

Logan has served as president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators for nearly 11 years.

the tenure track

New York
May 5, 2017

For New York City teachers applying for tenure, success remains far from assured

Sixty-four percent of eligible teachers earned tenure last year. That's down from 97 percent a decade ago.

code shift

New York
April 6, 2017

NYC set to adopt long-debated changes to student discipline code that will further reduce suspensions

The debate over the city’s discipline code raises larger questions, some of which are also being asked in other large school districts across the country.

I'm with him

New York
February 8, 2017

UFT endorses de Blasio for re-election, saying they are headed for ‘another war’

The city’s teachers union announced Wednesday that it endorsed Mayor Bill de Blasio's bid for re-election, and vowed to battle with U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

a re-evaluation

New York
December 21, 2016

In a win for the UFT, city reaches deal that moves further away from evaluating teachers based on multiple-choice tests

The city plans to use the new evaluation system this school year.

fight song

New York
November 10, 2016

How the nation’s largest local teachers union is responding to a Trump future — ‘no choice… but to fight’

"In the months and years ahead, we are going to face some of the greatest challenges that this union and its members have ever faced," Mulgrew wrote.

charter debate

New York
October 17, 2016

NAACP’s call to stop charter schools’ growth reignites debate in New York City

“If something is working, why take it away from people?”

a little push

New York
October 12, 2016

New York City’s teachers union says it’s time for ‘positive friction’ with city

“We’re not going to get to the results we want unless there’s a lot of positive friction,” he told Chalkbeat.

mulgrew says

New York
October 7, 2016

UFT President Michael Mulgrew criticizes Common Core revisions

“We’re not happy with what we’ve seen so far,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said about the state's revisions to Common Core.
New York
September 20, 2016

Union pushing more ‘authentic’ assessments in teacher evaluations

What will teacher evaluations look like this year? Details in the city's negotiations with the union are starting to emerge.

still the president

New York
May 27, 2016

UFT president Michael Mulgrew wins re-election with 76 percent of the vote

In a widely expected result, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew was re-elected to a third term as head of the city’s teachers union.

the educated voter

New York
May 10, 2016

As city teachers vote, union chief Mulgrew faces small but spirited group of challengers

Disappointment drove second-grade teacher Michelle Baptiste to run for a seat in this month’s union elections. She watched with dismay as the city’s United Federation…

Code Switch

New York
April 20, 2016

As New York City’s suspension rate falls, some educators see a parallel dip in discipline

Some teachers say schools are not giving suspensions even when they're warranted, and their union says teachers need more training and support.

core questions

New York
April 15, 2016

As New York reconsiders Common Core, UFT organizes teachers to suggest changes

The United Federation of Teachers has been organizing meetings of a few dozen educators to unpack the Common Core learning standards.

a more perfect union

New York
April 4, 2016

For teachers unions, budget is more proof of a pendulum shift in New York education policy

The charter sector is excited about a funding boost, while the unions are relishing an ideological shift borne out in newfound support for “community schools.”

state of the state

New York
January 12, 2016

After bumpy year, Cuomo unveils few education proposals in lead-up to State of the State

The lead-up to this year’s speech is vastly different from last year, when the governor promised an aggressive education agenda — and delivered over the next several months.

paid leave

New York
December 23, 2015

City teachers could see paid parental leave next year

Mayor de Blasio said the city is poised to “immediately enter talks” with the municipal unions like the UFT to extend the benefit.

shifting tides

New York
Updated October 21, 2015

Mulgrew: It’s helpful to have a foe in City Hall, but better to have an ally

The teachers union’s improved relationship with City Hall has come with ample benefits, but also stripped it of a useful organizing strategy, Mulgrew said Tuesday.

reaction roulette

New York
August 12, 2015

Meaningless? Cause for celebration? Interpretations of newest test scores run the gamut

New York state’s latest test scores are completely meaningless — or the key to understanding whether any students are learning. It all depends who you talk to.

who's the boss?

New York
July 16, 2015

The state names 62 NYC schools that must quickly improve or face takeover

If Chancellor Carmen Fariña fails to spur improvements at the schools after one or two years, she must cede control to an outside manager.

rebooting renewal

New York
June 22, 2015

Fariña, de Blasio and Mulgrew aim to fire up principals at Renewal event

A private event for the 94 low-performing schools on Monday featured words of encouragement from the mayor and the chancellor.

technical assistance

New York
June 11, 2015

De Blasio lauds CTE programs at union event, saying city will support their growth

"We are going to strengthen them and we are going to make them available to even more," de Blasio said of the city's career and technical education programs.

Time Management

New York
June 10, 2015

Renewal schools get new options for extra hour after city-union weekend talks

The scheduling leeway comes after the principals union president sent a critical letter to his members.

#evalapalooza

New York
May 8, 2015

Calls to delay teacher eval overhaul grow more urgent in Albany

A consensus is building around limiting the role of outside evaluators in teacher observations and that the Nov. 15 deadline for adopting the plans must be extended.

to the summit

New York
May 7, 2015

At ‘evalapalooza,’ officials urged to limit use of tests, give districts breathing room

Between coffee breaks, panelists at what Twitter dubbed #evalapalooza offered dozens of recommendations for how state education officials should finalize the system.

and we're live

New York
May 7, 2015

Watch: State summit on new teacher evaluations is underway

City union leaders Mark Cannizzaro and Michael Mulgrew are among those due to testify in Albany on the the state's new teacher and principal evaluations.

litmus tests

New York
April 1, 2015

As NYSUT endorses testing opt-outs, city union holds back

After the head of the state teachers union urged parents this week to boycott the state tests, some are calling on the UFT to follow suit.

push back

New York
March 11, 2015

At widespread anti-Cuomo protests, parents and teachers to join hands

Pushback against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's education agenda sparked plans for rallies across the city.

Education showdown

New York
February 9, 2015

Teachers kick off forums criticizing Cuomo’s agenda, though without Mulgrew

As Michael Mulgrew was reportedly meeting with Gov. Cuomo's aides on Friday, 200-plus educators were voicing opposition to the governor's agenda.

a different approach

New York
February 3, 2015

In Albany, Fariña criticizes Cuomo’s plan for teacher evaluations

"I absolutely believe that holding teachers accountable only on test scores and outside evaluators is not a good idea," Fariña said in response to questions about Cuomo’s plan.

campaign trailer

New York
January 30, 2015

UFT moves quickly to build coalition with a clear target: Cuomo

The union is moving fast to beat back education policies that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing.

it's a wrap

New York
December 30, 2014

Readers’ choices: Our 10 most-read news stories from 2014

Chalkbeat readers have spoken: The new contract between the city and the teachers’ union was the biggest story of 2014. The rest of the year's biggest stories hit on the big themes of the year, including the transition to Carmen Fariña's leadership, testing anxiety, and debates over the Common Core.

doubling down

New York
December 17, 2014

Cuomo flip-flops on evaluation ‘safety net’ as he criticizes city’s results

One day after state education officials touted the city’s teacher evaluation results as more accurate than results in other parts of the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo made it clear that the city’s plan did not impress him as he continued to push for a new round of legal changes.

oligarchs and overcrowding

New York
December 9, 2014

To reduce class sizes, UFT looks to absentee landlords

The head of the city’s teachers union is asking state lawmakers to eliminate a set of property tax breaks to pay for reduced class sizes in elementary schools. United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew said Tuesday that 90,000 condominiums and co-ops owned by people who do not reside in the city should no longer qualify for tax breaks.

kumbaya

New York
November 21, 2014

Mulgrew joins charter leaders’ calls for city to release school enrollment data

Michael Mulgrew joined with charter school leaders in calling on the city to provide student discharge data for district and charter schools.

poll positions

New York
November 19, 2014

Voters remain divided on charter schools

According to the data released Wednesday, 43 percent of voters support increasing the number of charter schools. Less than one in five voters, 17 percent, favored reducing the number of charter schools, while 31 percent said the number of charter schools should remain the same.

a closer look

New York
November 17, 2014

Restaffing plan for two troubled schools faces scrutiny

A restaffing plan for two of the city’s lowest-performing schools faces scrutiny by state officials who want to see drastic changes and from critics who worry the plan could trip up other schools.

Developing Professional Development

New York
September 16, 2014

With 80 minutes of new teacher training each week, schools set out to see what works

Schools are coming up with ideas to fill 80 minutes of new teacher-meeting time every Monday, even as skeptics question whether teachers and students will benefit from the weekly sessions.

new faces

New York
September 12, 2014

Fariña and new head of English-learners office promise aggressive support for schools

Chancellor Carmen Fariña and her new chief of English-language learners outlined their priorities for those students Friday, including better training for teachers and more dual-language programs, just days before state policymakers vote on major changes to guidelines concerning students who are still learning English.

Parent Participation

New York
September 9, 2014

With new school year, new rules for parent engagement have begun

At P.S. 206's first parent engagement activity of the year, now mandated in the new teachers contract, parents and educators shared their ideas with Chancellor Fariña and union president, Michael Mulgrew.

change of pace

New York
August 28, 2014

Education leaders urge patience for de Blasio's pre-K plans

Top city and state education officials said they were optimistic about pre-K, but also worked to manage expectations about the rollout of thousands of new seats at a discussion on Thursday.

meet the new boss

New York
August 27, 2014

When not in schools, Fariña spent first months with education's power brokers

The chancellor's schedule shows that when she wasn’t visiting schools, Fariña met with Stanford researcher Linda Darling-Hammond, billionaire philanthropist George Soros, along with a host of advocates, executives, elected officials, and union representatives.

Measured response

New York
August 14, 2014

A frequent critic of testing, de Blasio takes the good test news in stride

The mayor celebrated students' state test-score gains, but not too much, since he has criticized others for focusing too narrowly on test scores.

Recap

New York
August 14, 2014

Between two rounds of test scores, a rocky year for the Common Core

After last year's dismal test scores, Common Core skepticism went mainstream. Where they head after the release of this year's scores remains to be seen.

school improvement

New York
June 23, 2014

In joint appearance, Mulgrew praises Fariña for letting both focus on schools

At a student awards ceremony, Michael Mulgrew and Carmen Fariña emphasized how the city and union are working together to shift their focus into the classroom, rather than politics.
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