New York’s Schools Chancellor Is Failing to Meet the Moment

Melissa Aviles Ramos’s first major initiative neglects the city’s major education crises: rampant learning loss, declining enrollment, and chronic absenteeism.

Last week, New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles Ramos announced her first major initiative: NYCPS Cares.

I wrote about it at City Journal:

New York City kids deserve better. They need a chancellor who emphasizes teaching students to read, write, and do math at grade level—especially the 40 percent of New York kindergartners chronically absent and at risk of not learning to read. They need a chancellor who ensures that the nearly $37,000 that the city spends per pupil produces real results. And they need a chancellor with an agenda grounded in research and proven strategies—not, as Ramos puts it, in “lived experience.”

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My Letter to the Editor at WSJ and Newsday Cover

Here is my Letter to the Editor to WSJ on NY State Department of Education decision to deemphasize chronic absenteeism.

The Newsday had a cover piece about absenteeism this Sunday, you can read it here.

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Jail is not a solution for absenteeism

I can’t believe it needs to be said, but here it goes: putting parents in jail is not a solution to solve chronic absenteeism. I am all for ‘carrots and sticks’ approach, but putting parents in jail won’t help their kids - and that should be our priority.

Unfortunately, some lawmakers are taking a too tough approach as reported by the 74: “Student Absences Have Surged Since COVID. Some Lawmakers Say Parents Should be Jailed”

My report describes how some NY charters are dealing with this issue and have incentives, supports, and consequences - but always with the goal of bringing more stability to kids’ lives.

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What I am reading this week

• “Jerusalem and Athens Meet in Manhattan” - great profile of EMET, the first Jewish classical school in America (WSJ)

• The Pandemic Is Not the Only Reason U.S. Students Are Losing Ground (NYT)

• "Why wouldn’t New Yorkers prefer someone like Mamdani, or any of the other candidates, who don’t come with Cuomo and Adams’s baggage?

  The simple answer is that NYC voters care far less about character than they do about keeping their city from falling into the hands of radicals." (City Journal)

• Democrats are going after homeschoolers in Illinois (WSJ)

• Houston’s Superintendent Is Turning Around Struggling Schools (City Journal)

• Josh Shapiro Keeps Betraying Poor Pennsylvania Children (WSJ)

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Contact me if you want to help bring universal education choice to NY! #SchoolChoiceNY