New York

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in New York
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference on Universal Child Care at Bedrock Preschool on August 04, 2026 in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx borough in New York City. Mayor Mamdani was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, and other elected officials on the day families of 2,000 toddlers received their 2-K offers for the program beginning in September across five school districts. More than 5,700 families applied for New York City's inaugural preschool program for 2-year-olds. Mamdani said the city plans to expand capacity to 12,000 children and include Staten Island in the program.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference about the city's pre-K program at Bedrock Preschool in New York City on Aug. 4, 2026. The city is expanding public preschool to 2,000 2-year-olds, with plans to expand it to 12,000 in 2027.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Early Childhood Could Public Preschool for 2-Year-Olds Become the Next Pre-K?
New York City and New Mexico have started "2-K" programs. But are they sustainable?
Jennifer Vilcarino, August 6, 2026
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4 min read
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Materials for teens and parents on pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections provided by Teen Health Mississippi are displayed on Sept. 26, 2023, in Jackson, Miss. Dozens of organizations nationwide that ran teen pregnancy prevention efforts had their federal funding abruptly terminated last month.
Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo
Education Funding School Pregnancy Prevention Efforts Shut Down as Trump Emphasizes Abstinence
The administration has canceled funding for more than 50 teen pregnancy prevention programs.
Mark Lieberman & Lauraine Langreo, July 29, 2026
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9 min read
Founder Matt McMullen turns on a robot at the workshop for Realbotix, a company that makes life-like AI driven robots, in Las Vegas, on Jan. 17, 2024.
Founder Matt McMullen turns on a robot at a workshop for Realbotix, a company that makes lifelike AI-driven robots, in Las Vegas, on Jan. 17, 2024. A rural New York school district that was set to deploy an AI-powered, humanoid robot developed by the company has hit pause on those plans.
Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal via TNS
Artificial Intelligence School Pauses Plan to Deploy AI Robot Teacher After Backlash
A district hit pause amid worries over data privacy and the developer's ties to a sex robot company.
The Associated Press, July 29, 2026
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4 min read
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani visits the Learning Through Play Pre-K in the Bronx in New York, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Mamdani, who was accompanied by former President Barack Obama on the visit, joined the New York City Council is backing a new college savings plan for families of young children.
Angelina Katsanis/AP Photo
College & Workforce Readiness New York City Is Giving $1,000 to Kindergartners for College. Will It Work?
Backers of the program say it will raise families' awareness of the need to save for postsecondary study.
Jennifer Vilcarino, July 15, 2026
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5 min read
Timothy Rimke reads during Casey Cuny's English class at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Timothy Rimke reads during Casey Cuny's English class at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025. Teachers face the challenge of helping students become writers with their own voices in the presence of generative AI tools.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Artificial Intelligence Q&A How an English Teacher Helps Students Find Their Voices in the Age of AI
Students' voices are lost when AI does most of the thinking, a teacher says.
Lauraine Langreo, June 29, 2026
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3 min read
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Hutto High School students protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Hutto, Texas. New national survey data found that immigration enforcement continues to affect schools.
Jay Janner/STATESMAN.COM via AP
School & District Management From Our Research Center Schools Saw Rising Student Anxiety From Immigration Enforcement in 2025-26
New national survey data from this spring found increased absences due to immigration enforcement.
Ileana Najarro & Alex Harwin, June 2, 2026
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7 min read
Internal View of the State Capitol. on May 29, 2025, in Albany, New York.
An internal view of the state capitol in Albany, N.Y., on May 29, 2025. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a budget into law that lowers the retirement age for teachers to collect a full pension.
Kena Betancur/AP
States New York Teachers Win Lower Retirement Age as Lawmakers Pass Pension Reforms
New York teachers can retire five years earlier under pension changes included in a state budget package.
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, May 27, 2026
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3 min read
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reads "Snowflakes Fall" to daycare children at the Department of Labor on Dec. 20, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. Hochul on Jan. 3, 2024, said she will push for schools to reemphasize phonics in literacy education programs, a potential overhaul that comes as many states revamp curriculums amid low reading scores.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul reads "Snowflakes Fall" to children on Dec. 20, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. Hochul became the latest Democratic governor to say she'll opt her state in to the federal tax-credit scholarship program that takes effect next year, and will direct federal taxpayer funds to private school scholarships.
Will Waldron/The Albany Times Union via AP
School Choice & Charters A Large Democratic-Led State Says Yes to Trump’s School Choice Program
Thirty-one states are on track to participate in the first major federal foray into private school choice.
Matthew Stone, May 8, 2026
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5 min read
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Teachers participate in a team exercise at the first training session of the National Academy for AI Instruction on March 18, 2026, at UFT headquarters in New York City. The partnership between the American Federation of Teachers and major AI developers aims to train 400,000 teachers to use artificial intelligence in the classroom.
Salwan Georges for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Teachers Move Beyond AI Basics to More Sophisticated Instructional Uses
A national AI training academy introduces teachers to complex collaboration with the technology.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 20, 2026
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5 min read
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul attend a press conference at Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in New York.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attend a press conference at Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in New York. The mayor and governor are backing an expansion of the city's preschool programs.
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Early Childhood Child Care From Age 2: New York City's Plan to Improve Student Outcomes
The city's mayor and governor announced the first four communities to receive free 2-K seats.
Jennifer Vilcarino, March 9, 2026
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4 min read
In 2025, the Texas Legislature mandated professional development for classroom teachers, math coaches, interventionists, and building leaders working with students in grades K-3 in a bid to shore up math teaching in the state. The Texas State Capitol is shown on the first day of a special session on July 8, 2021, in Austin.
The Texas State Capitol on the first day of the 87th Legislature's special session on July 8, 2021 in Austin. In 2025, Texas lawmakers mandated professional development for classroom teachers, math coaches, interventionists, and building leaders working with students in grades K-3.
Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images via TNS
Mathematics More States Are Calling for Math Reform. Will It Improve Student Outcomes?
National math scores are sitting at historic lows. But experts disagree on how to raise achievement.
Sarah Schwartz, February 13, 2026
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7 min read
The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone, Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston.
The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone. New York is the third state, after California and Minnesota, to pass a law requiring social media warning labels.
Michael Dwyer/AP
States Scroll With Caution: Another State Requires Social Media Warning Labels
Backers of New York's law, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, have likened tech's addictiveness to tobacco.
Jennifer Vilcarino, January 8, 2026
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4 min read
Mayor Zohran Mamdani reacts during his inauguration ceremony on Jan. 1, 2026, in New York.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani reacts during his inauguration ceremony on Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. He promised during his campaign to end mayoral control of New York City's public schools but announced a change in position the day before taking office.
Andres Kudacki/AP
School & District Management Zohran Mamdani Reverses Course on Mayoral Control Over NYC Schools
New York City's new mayor promised during his campaign to end mayoral control of the city's schools.
Cayla Bamberger & Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, January 2, 2026
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3 min read
Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech at a mayoral election night watch party on Nov. 4, 2025, in New York.
Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech at a mayoral election night watch party on Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. The new mayor named a former teacher and principal and current superintendent as chancellor of the city’s public schools.
Yuki Iwamura/AP
States Zohran Mamdani Picks Manhattan Superintendent as NYC Schools Chancellor
Kamar Samuels is a veteran educator of the nation's largest school system.
Cayla Bamberger & Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, December 31, 2025
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2 min read