Public News Service

At least one-third of schools are fully accessible in eleven of New York City's 32 community school districts. Once the projects currently in the pipeline are done, at least one-third of schools will be disability accessible. (Adobe Stock)

NYC public schools still not fully ADA compliant

Although classes are back in session, all New York City public schools still aren't entirely disability accessible. Reports find more than two …

Al menos un tercio de las escuelas son totalmente accesibles en once de los 32 distritos escolares comunitarios de la ciudad de Nueva York. Una vez que se completen los proyectos actualmente en tr�mite, al menos un tercio de las escuelas ser�n accesibles para discapacitados. (Adobe Stock)

Escuelas públicas de NYC aún no cumplen plenamente con la ADA

Aunque las clases han vuelto a estar en sesión, todas las escuelas públicas de la ciudad de Nueva York todavía no son completamente …

Enacting the Good Food NY bill could help the 139 black-owned farms in New York state have better access to procurement contracts since it eliminates poor access to information about opportunities to compete for institutional food contracts. (Adobe Stock)

NY bill implements value-based standards for food procurement

A New York bill would change food procurement laws for municipal institutions. The Good Food New York Act would allow municipal institutions to use …

New York is facing a shortage of 180,000 teachers, which will only grow due to a steep retirement cliff the state faces in the coming years. (Adobe Stock)

NY teachers union launches pro-public education campaign

New York's United Federation of Teachers union is launching a campaign to bolster public education. It comes as public schools' role as a social …

New York is one of eight states requiring exit exams for high school graduation. (Adobe Stock)

NYS no longer requires Regents exams for graduation

Regents exams will no longer be a graduation requirement for New York State students. The State Department of Education announced the change several …

The number of young children ages 3 and 4 not in school remained the same before and after the pandemic at 42%, which is lower than the national average of 54%. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NY kids’ pandemic-era education troubles persist

A new report found New York kids' well-being is improving despite lingering pandemic issues. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book …

Only seven states require a full year of civics instruction in high school while 13 states have no requirement at all. (Adobe Stock)

Civic engagement has different meaning for Gen. Z NYers

New research shows younger New Yorkers have different ideas about civic engagement. A Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement survey found …

The National College Attainment Network reported the graduating high school class of 2023 in New York left more than $226 million in Pell grants unclaimed, the fourth-highest of any state. (Adobe Stock)

NY approves universal FAFSA access for graduating students

New York's 2025 budget creates universal access to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program. School districts statewide will have the …

Some 37% of New York foster care kids are being placed in family-based care than in previous decades, when the majority would have been placed in a group home. (Adobe Stock)

NY legislation would end parents paying for foster care

A bill in the New York State Legislature could alter how the foster care system operates in the state by ending the requirement for parents to pay for…

A Yale University report finds 81% of New York adults believe schools should teach about the causes, consequences and potential solutions to global warming. This is slightly higher than the national average of 75%. (Adobe Stock)

NY bill aims to educate kids about climate change

CLARIFICATION: The bill would not 'mandate' climate education, as indicated in a previous version of the story, and asks that the current standards …

Gov. Kathy Hochul's 'Back to Basics' plan proposed $10 million in state investments to train 20,000 teachers in Science of Reading best practices. (Adobe Stock)

Gov. Hochul’s State of State proposals need funding to become reality

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State initiatives are ambitious for the state's future. The focus now is on how to make them a reality…

Despite middling scores for how immigrant students feel in school, a YouthTruth/Re-Imaging Migration survey finds most immigrant children enjoy school and feel prepared for college level courses. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Immigrant students feel invisible to teachers and peers

A new survey found immigrant students need better help in school. The YouthTruth, Re-Imagining Migration survey was designed to examine the …

A pesar de los puntajes mediocres sobre c�mo se sent�an los estudiantes inmigrantes en la escuela, una encuesta de YouthTruth/Re-Imaging Migration encontr� que la mayor�a de los ni�os migrantes disfrutan la escuela y se sienten preparados para cursos de nivel universitario. (Adobe Stock)

Estudiantes inmigrantes se sienten invisibles ante profesores y compañeros

Una nueva encuesta muestra que los estudiantes inmigrantes necesitan más ayuda en la escuela. La encuesta YouthTruth, Re-Imagining Migration fue …

A report by Advocates for Children of New York found the highest rate of student homelessness was in The Bronx, where one in six students was homeless from 2022 to 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NYC student homelessness continues to rise

A new report found a little more than 119,000 New York City students are homeless. The group Advocates for Children of New York said 61% were …

The Center on Budget Policy and Priorities found New York could see a $73,239,000 reduction in fruit and vegetable benefits for people in the WIC program. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed WIC cuts could prove detrimental to NY families

Congress' proposed cuts to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children will have significant effects on New York …

A Lumina Foundation-Gallup poll found some of the top reasons Hispanics were deciding to leave college/university were emotional stress and other personal mental health reasons. (Adobe Stock)

Half of Hispanic college students have considered leaving college

A recent poll found more than half of Hispanic college students considered leaving in the last year. A Lumina Foundation-Gallup poll showed one in …

At least 11 major cities across the United States are hosting National Day of Action rallies today to call attention to reforms they say are needed in the nation's immigration detention system. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe Stock)

Immigration Advocates Host National Day of Action Rally

Immigration advocacy groups are calling on New Yorkers to join them in Foley Square at noon today. It's a National Day of Action to call attention to …

A 2023 Annie E. Casey Foundation report finds 74% of all kids in New York foster care are

NY Family Celebrates National Sisters Day

Sunday is National Sisters Day, and a New York family is celebrating the coming together of their two children - soon to be three. Merriah Kenneally …

A Pew Research poll finds 70% of voters, and a slightly higher number (72%) cited convenience as a major reason they voted by mail in the 2020 election. (Adobe Stock)

NY Legislation Expands Vote-by-Mail Access

Before New York's legislative session ended, lawmakers expanded vote-by-mail access. The New York Early Mail Voter Act allows registered voters to …

A proposed bill calls for an 80% ($14.7 Billion) cut to Title 1 grants for states with schools where children from low-income families comprise 40% of enrollment. Since $31 billion in pandemic funds hasn't been spent, further investments aren't being provided until they're spent responsibly. (Adobe Stock)

New Campaign Aims to Bolster Public Education in NY, US

A new campaign aims to bolster public education and student learning. The American Federation of Teachers' Real Solutions for Kids and Communities …

Un proyecto de ley propuesto exige un recorte del 80 % ($14 700 millones) a las subvenciones del T�tulo 1 para los estados con escuelas donde los ni�os de familias de bajos ingresos representan el 40 % de la inscripci�n. Dado que no se han gastado $31 mil millones en fondos para la pandemia, no se proporcionar�n m�s inversiones hasta que se gasten de manera responsable. (Adobe Stock)

Nueva campaña tiene como objetivo reforzar educación pública en Nueva York

Una nueva campaña tiene como objetivo reforzar la educación pública y el aprendizaje de los estudiantes. La campaña Soluciones …

Mental Health America's 2023 State of Mental Health found 214,000 New York children, about 16.03%, experienced at least one major depressive episode, an increase of 35,000 or 2.74% from 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: More Support Needed to Improve Youth Mental Health

Parents in New York and across the U.S. want to see schools improve kid's mental health, a recent survey found. The National PTA Survey showed 72% …

An Annie E. Casey Foundation report found the number of kids entering foster care because of behavior issues has declined from 49% in 2006 to 30% in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NY Foster Kids Need Better Support

Foster children in New York and across the nation need better transition support once they age out, according to a new report from the Annie E…

In 2022, for the first time, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended doctors screen children age 8 and older for anxiety. (Adobe Stock)

NY Works to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis

With the Covid-19 public health emergency over, New York and the U.S. are dealing with a youth mental health crisis. According to Mental Health …

If every Black adult with a high school diploma or GED diploma earned as much as the average Black college graduate, the collective additional earnings would equal around $222 billion. The figure is larger than the total economies of 19 different states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Black Students in NY, US Not Enrolling in College

The number of Black students enrolling in colleges and universities is declining, and New York is no exception. The Lumina Foundation's Level Up …

Sixty schools piloted College Board's new AP African American Studies course, which is set to appear in over 200 schools starting in the 2024-2025 school year. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Students Want More Diverse, Inclusive Curriculum

CORRECTION: YouthTruth surveyed more than 28,000 high school seniors from the class of 2022 and the class of 2019 in 19 states, including New York…

Sesenta centros han probado el nuevo curso AP de Estudios Afroamericanos del College Board, que se impartir� en m�s de 200 centros a partir del curso 2024-2025. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Encuesta: Estudiantes quieren un plan de estudios más diverso e inclusivo

CORRECTION: The number of students surveyed has been corrected. (2:10 p.m. MDT, Feb. 6, 2023) Mientras continúa la polémica sobre el curso …

According to data from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, reading scores for New York fourth graders declined by six points from 2019. Meanwhile, eighth graders' reading scores remained unchanged. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Students Still Struggle with Pandemic Learning Loss

Students are still struggling with learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. A study from the research group NWEA showed 2022 test scores are not …

According to a survey by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, only about 17% of those surveyed knew about foster care adoption. But, other findings were more hopeful: 37% of Americans have considered adopting at some point in their life, which is up 12% from 2017. (Adobe Stock)

Creating Family Not Always Easy for NYS Foster Kids

It can be a long road to finding permanent homes for kids in the New York State foster care system, but many find it worthwhile. Megan Battista is …

In the 2007-2008 school year, New York City was set to implement a plan to limit class sizes to 25 students by the 2011-2012 school year. However, the plan hasn't yet come to fruition. (Adobe Stock)

New Law to Cap Class Sizes in NYC Schools

Class sizes in New York City schools will be limited by 2028 - the result of a new state law. The law will cap Kindergarten through third-grade …

According to a recent survey by the American Library Association, about 71% of voters, across party lines, oppose book bans altogether. Yet, the ALA has found 1,651 different books were the target of book bans since the start of 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Brooklyn Public Library Hosts 'Books UnBanned' Program

Banned Books Week continues through Saturday, and the Brooklyn Public Library has a program for teens facing book bans in their states. The Books …

According to a New York State Comptroller audit, out of 563 schools previously cited for not having one of the Department of Education's six mental health programs, 30% did not have a social worker. (Valerii Honcharuk/Adobe Stock)

NY Experiencing Shortage of School Social Workers

School districts across the state of New York are facing a shortage of social workers. According to an audit by the state comptroller's office…

While the number of high school students graduating on time has risen, a new report showed early education is stunted in the state of New York. (Adobe Stock)

Report Urges More Support for NYS Early Education

Early education in New York State needs more support and better resources, according to a new report. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count …

Roughly half of students at CUNY Lehman College are Pell Grant recipients. (Wikimedia Commons)

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Help Get Students Over Finish Line

Advocates for equal access to education say college rankings traditionally prioritize characteristics such as selectivity and prestige over student su…

Kids in 10th and 12th grades in New York City shelters had attendance rates below 70%, meaning they missed the equivalent of more than a week of school in a single month (Oct. 2021), according to a new policy brief. (Adobe Stock)

NYC Youth in Shelters Face School Attendance Challenges

New York City students in insecure housing situations continue to have alarmingly low school attendance rates, heightened by the pandemic. Youth …

Research shows that 90% of high school seniors who complete FAFSA go to college immediately after graduation compared with 55% of seniors who don't complete it. (Adobe Stock)

NY FAFSA Completion Rates Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

New data show college financial-aid completion rates in New York are five percentage points lower than they were pre-pandemic. An education advocacy …

Signs of too much screen time range from dry, irritated eyes to difficulty sleeping, blurred vision, reduced attention span and irritability. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: New Yorkers Should Monitor Excess Screen Time, Blue-Light Exposure

Health experts are warning the public about the mental, social and physical health risks of using digital devices too much, including the possible …

In a National Wildlife Federation and United Federation of Teachers survey, only one in five educators said climate education was covered in student-teacher training. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: More Climate Education Needed in NYC Schools

CORRECTION: Just 52% of NYC teachers teach climate change. An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated the percentage. (11:43 a.m. EST., Dec…

New York City launched a community schools initiative in 2014. A study three years later found it had a positive impact on student attendance and credit accumulation. (Adobe Stock)

Teachers’ Union Issues Recommendations for NY Public Schools

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) has released a new report this week, with recommendations from educators about how best to …

Healthcare advocacy groups say increasing Medicaid postpartum coverage up to one year after a child's birth can help decrease maternal mortality rates, which disproportionately affect people of color. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Build Back Better's CHIP, Medicaid Changes Support NY Families

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act will soon get a vote in the U.S. Senate, and in New York, advocates say it could mean major …

Paige Bethmann and Ku Stevens speak in between interviews at his house on the Yerington Paiute Reservation in Nevada. (Zack Kiszka)

NY Filmmaker Reflects on Upcoming Indian Boarding Schools Documentary

NEW YORK -- A team of New York-based filmmakers is producing a documentary about reclaiming Indigenous heritage, told through the experiences of an 18…

The expensive costs of child care in New York create economic hardship for some families, according to a report from the Children's Agenda. (Adobe Stock)

Build Back Better Would Amplify New York's Child Care, Pre-K Investments

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Act now moves to the Senate where it will face an uphill battle after passing the House Friday…

Between 2010 and 2019, felony arrests of people younger than 18 were down 53%, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Youthful-Offender Status Reform Gives New Yorkers a Chance at a Clean Slate

NEW YORK -- This month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law advocates said gives young people who were caught up in the criminal-…

The United States is one of six countries in the world with no federal family paid-leave program. The Build Back Better Plan could change that. (Adobe Stock)

Paid Family Leave on Forefront as Build Back Better is Finalized

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Congress is finalizing the Build Back Better plan, and proponents of paid family leave are pushing for the provision to remain in the …

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing the virus in kids 5 to 11 years old. (Adobe Stock)

COVID-19 Vaccinations, Resources Available for School-Age Kids in NY

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a new version of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-1…

Close to one million New York City residents smoke tobacco, according to Public Health Solutions. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NY a National Leader in Increasing Smoke-Free Households

NEW YORK -- Although New York and the country as a whole saw some progress surrounding the health of children and women, a new report showed there is …

Recent Kaiser Family Foundation research shows more than 20% of parents with children ages 5 to 12 say their kids' emotional health has declined since March 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Youth Mental Health Emphasized as K-12 Schools Resume in NY

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- As New York schools gear up for the fall term, physical and mental well-being of kids in grades K-12 is in the forefront, …

A new Sentencing Project report finds 6% of arrests for minors are for serious or violent offenses that might pose a threat to public safety, while 56% account for property crimes, drug crimes and violations of probation. (Adobe Stock)

‘Raise the Age’ Reforms Lead to No More Youths in NY Adult Prisons

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Rates of youth incarceration in adult jails and prison are down to zero since New York raised the age of criminal responsibility to 18…

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