Will the Changes in NYS Graduation Requirements Better Prepare Students for the Post High School World? Part 2
The NYS Board of Regents has made sweeping changes to high school graduation requirements, with the implementation details “to be decided.” Will these changes improve outcomes for students? The major changes are confusing, *A range of options will be offered in addition to the regents exam to meet graduation requirements. New York State is shifting to…
A Fourth of July Fable
On July 4th President Trump’s Favorability Rating (FR) was at 38% and the stock markets hitting all time highs. As the summer edged closer to the November 3rd midterms his FR trickled down a few points although the president appeared unconcerned, after all the campaign actually begins after Labor Day. On Labor Day the president’s…
Will the Changes to NYS Graduation Requirements Better Prepare Students for the Post High School World? Part 1
It was the fall of 2019 and the NYS Education Department was holding regional meetings across the state to discuss “Graduation Measures,” I defined as “the beginning of the end of Regents Examinations.” The Brooklyn meeting was held at Fort Hamilton High School, overlooking the harbor near the Verrazano Bridge, a lovely setting. We were assigned…
How Would You Rate the Chancellor?
At the end of a school year the pedagogical staff is assessed, for teachers the Matrix, for supervisors the Principal Performance Review and for the Chancellor, well ChatCPT says the mayor with input from the Panel for Educational Priorities, a majority of whom are appointed by the mayor. In elementary, 6-8, 6-12 and 9–12 schools parents, teachers and…
Hail to King Zohran
Since the founding fathers politics has been run by the machine, meaning the power brokers within the party. Neighborhood political clubs, captains on every block, candidates selected in the proverbial smoke-filled room dominated the political landscape. With the SCOTUS Citizens Unlimited decision the landscape began to change, unlimited “independent expenditures” flooded campaigns with dollars. The shadowy…
June 23rd Democratic Primary: Your Vote Matters and Activism is Essential
Let’s begin with a stand up and shout moment watch the Robert de Niro speech, you’ll love it and on an ominous note, Paul Krugman asks whether we are living in the repetition of a point in history, So in a real sense we are living in the midst of a reenactment of the decline and fall…
Does the Race of a Teacher Impact Student Outcomes? Is Supporting Black Teaching Candidates Discriminatory?
The NY Daily News reports, The Trump administration is investigating the City University of New York over allegations of racial discrimination, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday. The agency’s civil rights arm said it received reports alleging CUNY’s Black Male Initiative gives preference to some students over others on the basis of race. “Race can never…
Engaging the UFT Membership in the Upcoming Contract Negotiations
The current UFT Contract ends 11/28/27; however, the terms and conditions of the current contract remain in full force and effect until the successor contract is ratified. In NYS public employee labor agreements, aka, contracts, don’t expire, they just designate a date to negotiate the next agrement. Prior to the Taylor Law contracts did expire and…
Mayor Mamdani: Time to Begin the Proces of Rebuilding the NYC School System
Over the years I’ve probably been in countless schools, sort of a participant observer, and have been appalled by the lack of leadership. Too many school leaders spend most of their time in their office, never teaching a class, chancellors, we’ve had six in the twelve years, more interested in spinning dud magic bullets. Too…
I am Proud to Be a Member of Unity
There are almost 200,000 UFT members, active teachers, paraprofessionals, school secretaries, speech therapists, nurses, unionized charter schools, etc., and retired teachers. When teachers retire they are no longer covered by the collective bargaining agreement the UFT actively supports retirees, they vote in union elections, have their own chapter within the union and retirees participate in…
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Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 