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Bill Gates Should Not Micro-Manage Our Schools

“In regards to education policy, Bill Gates ought to have a loud voice in his school district, but a quieter one in mine.” So says a father and Fordham professor who argues the Common Core learning standards, while positive, should not be imposed uniformly upon all schools and teachers.

Controversy Brews at Teachers College

Some graduate students at Teachers College are offended by the decision to honor Chancellor Merryl Tisch at the school’s graduation ceremony next week. To many of them, Tisch has supported policies antithetical to the Teachers College philosophy and they’re considering ways to make their displeasure known.

Supreme Court Justice Urges Immigrant Parents to Help Children with School

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor told a large gathering of parents of English language learners to speak up and ask for help navigating the massive school system, and to remember this mantra: “I am not stupid. I am ignorant. Help me figure it out.”

Thompson Proposes Mid-Course Correction to Bloomberg’s School Policies

Former Comptroller Bill Thompson, one of the Democrats running for mayor, said mayoral control could be in jeopardy when it comes up for renewal if there are not “tweaks” made to Mayor Bloomberg’s education reforms.

Exploring Points Where Science Meets Life and Death Reality

“I have watched several people die in emergency rooms, and at times, I’ve wondered if the outcome could have been different if some slight detail had changed.” Personal experience led this New York City student to build a computer program that has earned him a spot at the nation’s top science competition underway this week in Phoenix, AZ.

Chances of Admission to a Charter School Improving

City students who apply to a charter school now have a 27 percent chance of getting in, as more of the privately managed public schools take root. But there’s still a waiting list of more than 50,000 students.

Mayoral Candidates Promise Teachers a New Direction

Six of the candidates running for mayor addressed hundreds of teachers at a union-organized forum on Saturday. They all criticized aspects of Mayor Bloomberg’s record, and said they would give more respect to teachers and families.

DOE Weighs Ending Pearson Contract After Another Scoring Error

For the second time in three weeks, Pearson apologized for errors made when scoring the test for admission to the city’s gifted and talented programs. The latest round of errors affects the eligibility of 146 test takers and changes the scores – but not the status – of 159 others. The deadline to apply to G&T programs has been extended, again.

Parents Press for Details on Faster PCB Removal

After the city’s law department said the D.O.E. would replace old light fixtures containing PCBs “well before” its original deadline of 2021, frustrated parents, advocates and elected officials said they want details.

City Defends Late Placements in Selective High Schools

“If you didn’t apply for your job, would you get it?” one parent asked a D.O.E. official at a heated meeting about the students who have been placed in selective high schools without being screened. “We’re going to be receiving children who didn’t go through the process at all, while I’ve spent thousands of dollars on my daughter’s artistic development over the course of her life.”

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