Alex Zimmerman
@alexzimmerman.bsky.social
NYC public schools @ Chalkbeat Signal: agz.95
“My instinctive reaction is there may have been an issue last year that we missed,” said Marianne Perie, who consults with states on testing. “This kind of big increase followed by a big decrease is surprising.”
Chalkbeat@chalkbeat.org · last mo.New York celebrated a dramatic rise in elementary reading scores last year. Now much of that gain has vanished, and testing experts are asking what happened
Meanwhile, NYC spent millions on air purifiers during the pandemic that are now gathering dust. The city didn't tell schools to turn them on today.
Chalkbeat@chalkbeat.org · 2mo agoOutdoor trips were canceled, recess moved inside, and staff scrambled for air-conditioned space as wildfire smoke blanketed New York City.
Can Success Academy transfer a charter to the CEO’s husband? A court may ultimately decide.
Teachers unions sue to block Success Academy from transferring charter to CEO’s husband
Can Success Academy transfer a charter to the CEO’s husband? A court may ultimately decide.
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New: NYC schools will not face cuts to their initial budgets this year even if they enroll fewer students — continuing a pandemic-era "hold harmless" policy www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
NYC school budgets won’t face cuts next year (for now) despite falling enrollment
NYC schools won’t see their budgets cut next year, even if they’re projected to have fewer students. Kamar Samuels said extending the “hold harmless" policy aims to provide stability.
chalkbeat.org
The announcement represents a win for supporters of private school choice, who have been lobbying Democratic governors to join the federal program.
With Gov. Hochul’s OK, NY could become second Democrat-led state to opt into federal tax-credit scholarship
The announcement represents a win for supporters of private school choice, who have been lobbying Democratic governors to join the federal program.
bit.ly
White students make up 12.5% of NYC public school students with IEPs, but they are 71% of students receiving public school funding to attend private schools. These inequalities were anecdotally clear before - now we have this staggering data. Excellent reporting by @alexzimmerman.bsky.social.
NYC spent $723 million on private tuition for students with disabilities. White students benefited most.
NYC paid $723 million in private tuition for students with disabilities last year. 71% were white.
chalkbeat.org
Students across New York couldn’t log into state math exams Wednesday morning, raising fresh questions about the transition to computer-based testing.
Tech trouble for NY’s state math tests: Some schools pause and reschedule exams
Students across New York couldn’t log into state math exams Wednesday morning, raising fresh questions about the transition to computer-based testing.
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The Trump administration has tried to take money from districts by claiming their inclusive policies represent Title IX violations, and then asked courts to treat these as simple contract disputes. In a New York City case, a federal judge said that wouldn't fly.
Chalkbeat@chalkbeat.org · 5mo agoA federal judge ruled the Trump administration skirted required steps when canceling funding over the city’s transgender student policy.
"The speaker's $6 billion proposal asks Albany for just one thing: more time to reduce class sizes," Mamdani says. That is untrue: City Council's proposal doesn't mention delaying the class size law. But it's now a City Hall priority www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
Mamdani pushes to delay NYC class size law as big compliance deadline looms
On the campaign trail, Mamdani said complying with the state’s class size law “has too often been a negotiation.” Now, he’s trying to negotiate a delay.
chalkbeat.org
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov · 6mo agoNew York City Council just released a budget proposal. Here's what New Yorkers should know:
Last week, Dylan Lopez Contreras returned to his Bronx high school after 10 months in ICE detention. It was a day full of joy, and also inescapable reminders of the threat of immigration enforcement still facing Dylan and his classmates: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
Dylan Lopez Contreras returns to his Bronx classroom after 10 months in ICE detention
The jubilation of Dylan’s return has been mixed with frequent reminders of the looming threat of immigration enforcement facing him and other ELLIS students.
chalkbeat.org
After 10 months in federal custody, Dylan Lopez Contreras was released. Dylan was the first known NYC public school student detained by ICE.
Dylan Lopez Contreras, first NYC student detained by ICE in Trump’s second term, is released
After 10 months in federal custody, Dylan Lopez Contreras was released. Dylan was the first known NYC public school student detained by ICE.
bit.ly
Chancellor Kamar Samuels is reshaping the Education Department’s leadership — but not starting from scratch.
Kamar Samuels announces 11-member cabinet, keeps 6 holdovers in NYC schools shakeup
Chancellor Kamar Samuels is reshaping the Education Department’s leadership — but not starting from scratch.
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New: Chancellor Kamar Samuels is poised to announce new cabinet members tomorrow morning as two top deputies step aside He told principals to expect changes to the Education Department's "organizational structure" in an email tonight www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
Two top NYC education deputies exit as Kamar Samuels prepares to name new cabinet members
After two months leading the nation’s largest school system, Kamar Samuels is poised to unveil his leadership team as a flurry of senior deputies step aside.
chalkbeat.org
NEW: NYC officials have reversed a decision to close the Community Action School on the UWS after mom’s viral racist remark sparks outcry www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
After racist comment goes viral, NYC halts closure of Upper West Side middle school
Racist comments caught on a hot mic thrust a small Upper West Side middle school into the spotlight — and prompted city officials to reverse their plans to close it.
chalkbeat.org
NYC students are in class ~20 fewer days compared w/ the national average — largely b/c the city has a shorter school day www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
NYC students to spend about 20 fewer days in school than national peers. Learning likely suffers.
It adds up: On top of the snow day and several professional development days keeping kids home from school, NYC’s shorter school day means kids in the five boroughs are in class less than national cou...
chalkbeat.org
“He has not been afraid to touch the third rail and have difficult conversations." Great profile of NYC schools chancellor Kamar Samuels, who has a tough job in front of him. via @alexzimmerman.bsky.social and @amyzimmer.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
‘He has not been afraid to touch the third rail’: Meet Kamar Samuels, NYC’s schools chief
Zohran Mamdani said he selected Samuels because of his knowledge of the city’s school system and track record of seeking ambitious changes.
chalkbeat.org
Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz wants to hand over a Bronx charter school for her husband to operate — an arrangement that is raising eyebrows among state education officials www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz seeks to transfer a NYC charter school to her husband
Eva Moskowitz wants to transfer a Bronx charter school to her husband, raising eyebrows from state officials
chalkbeat.org
Great read from @alexzimmerman.bsky.social on NYC’s new chancellor, his vision for the system, and what happens when Mamdani visits an elementary school: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026...
City Hall says "expect more news soon" on whether Adams will fill the two remaining mayoral vacancies on the PEP If he does, Mamdani will not be able appoint anyone to NYC's school board until June unless other mayoral appointees resign
Cayla Bamberger@caylabam.bsky.social · 9mo agoAdams has appointed a former GOP councilman to NYC's schools oversight panel, as the mayor continues to stack boards related to housing, policing and now education before Mamdani takes office, w/ @c-sommerfeldt.bsky.social @josiestratman.bsky.social www.nydailynews.com/2025/12/15/a...
Adams has appointed a former GOP councilman to NYC's schools oversight panel, as the mayor continues to stack boards related to housing, policing and now education before Mamdani takes office, w/ @c-sommerfeldt.bsky.social @josiestratman.bsky.social www.nydailynews.com/2025/12/15/a...
Adams appoints GOP’s Borelli to school panel, stacking another board before Mamdani takes office
The string of eleventh-hour nominations have been viewed by Adams’ critics and supporters alike as an effort to stymie Mamdani’s Democratic Socialist agenda.
nydailynews.com
Education officials told NYC principals last week that students must be automatically arrested if they were found with weapons including scalpels and switchblades That is not true - but the DOE has yet to inform principals their policy guidance was wrong www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Officials mistakenly told NYC principals students with weapons would face automatic arrest
Education Department officials erroneously told principals that students found with items like scalpels or switchblades would face automatic arrest.
chalkbeat.org
One sign of how bad NYC’s child care crisis has gotten: there are *10,000* kids sitting on a waitlist for low-income child care vouchers b/c the program is out of $. Some observers say that’s a logical place for Mamdani to start his push for universal child care: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
NYC’s child care voucher waitlist swells to 10,000, leaving working parents in the lurch
The waitlist for child care vouchers swelled to 10,000 children, forcing low-income working parents to rely on unstable care. Can Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani fix the problem?
chalkbeat.org
“The idea that we are rubber stamps and aren’t making judgements — that’s in the past." Now that mayoral control of the NYC schools isn't so tight, will Mamdani still try to loosen it? Great reporting by @alexzimmerman.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
As Mamdani vows to end mayoral control of NYC schools, it has already weakened under Adams
Zohran Mamdani campaigned on ending mayoral control of NYC schools. Eric Adams has already ceded some of it.
chalkbeat.org
New w/ @alexzimmerman.bsky.social: NYC declared victory on a major class size deadline: >60% of classes under the caps. What they didn’t mention: they only got there by quietly declaring 10,500 classes exempt. W/o those, DOE would’ve been at 59.5% compliance: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Eric Adams declares victory on class size reduction — by issuing 10,500 exemptions
NYC officials quietly issued thousands of exemptions to class size law. Did your school get one?
chalkbeat.org
It seems very plausible that there is room to be smarter w/ contracting. But also notable that they didn't offer many examples. The only one Mamdani offered is DOE did not rigorously track the technology it bought for remote learning in the middle of a global health emergency
Zohran Kwame Mamdani@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 11mo agoNYC’s Dept. of Education spends around $10 billion/year on contracts. Many provide essential services to our schools, yet with over 3,000 active contracts, DOE faces major efficiency challenges. DOE needs procurement reform. Yesterday I announced my platform to deliver it.
After Mamdani announced plans to phase out gifted programs, Cuomo + Sliwa said they would expand them instead Eric Adams tried to do that — and roughly 1 in 3 of the city's gifted programs are underenrolled. Heres why w/ @michaelelsenroo.bsky.social www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Mamdani’s opponents want to grow NYC’s gifted programs. Attracting students isn’t easy.
Cuomo and Silwa want to expand kindergarten gifted classes. Mamdani prefers to keep programs starting in third grade. A new analysis uncovered lagging enrollment in the current program.
chalkbeat.org
Lost in the debate over NYC’s gifted and talented program rekindled by Mamdani’s proposal was the fact that the program underwent a big change in recent years: eliminating its admissions test. @alexzimmerman.bsky.social dug into how that change has played out: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
NYC gifted and talented: Mamdani’s calls for change comes amid already shifting landscape
Mamdani wants to rethink gifted and talented in NYC schools. The program has already seen big changes.
chalkbeat.org
Eric Adams’ first schools Chancellor David Banks shares his thoughts on the last year of Adams’ tenure as news comes he won’t seek a second term. Via @alexzimmerman.bsky.social: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
One parent, whose child attends a Zeta charter school, felt forced to miss work at a restaurant on Thursday to join the rally. www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
NY lawmakers demand investigation into charter school rally, alleging coercion
After a major charter school rally, two state senators are calling for an investigation into whether schools pressured families, staff, and students to attend.
chalkbeat.org
After federal funding threat, NYC Mayor Eric Adams targets transgender students’ bathroom access www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
After Trump administration threat, Adams targets transgender student bathroom policies
Mayor Eric Adams’ comments come after the Trump administration threatened to hold up federal grant funding to NYC because of the city’s policies on transgender students.
chalkbeat.org