Education
PCB's Removed from Schools - Victory for Children
May 23, 2013
By Neal Tepel
New York, NY - After nearly two years of litigation by New York Communities for Change (NYCC) and their attorneys, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), the city has agreed to cut in half its ten-year timeline for removing light fixtures containing toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from New York City's public schools. The settlement requires the City to remove all PCB light fixtures by December 31, 2016, or in three and a half years―a completion date five years earlier than that of the original ten-year timeline.
DOE Elections Halted Due to Parent Concerns
May 22, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York, NY - On Tuesday, May 20, public school parents squared off against the New York City Department of Education ("NYCDOE") in a court hearing before Judge Schlomo S. Hagler arguing for a re-run of the Community and Citywide Education Council elections, as well as access to the names and contacts of all "parent selectors" who may vote. "Parent selectors" are the President, Secretary and Treasurer of each Parent Association.
DC 1707 Executive Director: ‘Savino Should Have Known Better’
May 21, 2013
By Marc Bussanich
New York, NY—The executive director of DC 1707, Raglan George Jr., said that State Senator Diane Savino didn’t consult with the union when she and State Senator Jeff Klein issued a report last week highlighting the high number of health code violations at day care centers throughout the city. Watch Video
Cooper Union Charges Tuition and Students Protest
May 17, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York, NY - Cooper Union has now eliminated education at no cost and students are angry. On Wednesday May 8, about 100 students occupied President Bharucha’s office demanding he resign. Student sit-ins at the college began last month following the Cooper Union Board of Trustees decision to put an end to free tuition for undergraduates. This policy has existed at the Cooper Union for more than a century. The decision was announced by Board of Trustees chairman Mark Epstein on April 23.
Educators, Parents, Students, Community Members to Rally Thousands to Speak in One Voice for Future of Public Education
May 14, 2015
By Stephanie West
ALBANY, N.Y. — In a vocal pushback against out-of-control standardized testing, the outsized influence that giant testing companies are having on teaching and learning, and New York’s inequitable school funding system, a coalition of parents, educators, community members and students will rally next month in Albany to “fight for the future of public education.”
Statement by Speaker Christine C. Quinn Re: Pearson error in scoring Gifted and Talented admission tests
May 11, 2013
“Students know that there are consequences when you make repeated mistakes and it’s time Pearson learns that same lesson. Their contract with the City Department of Education should be terminated. The fact that Pearson has again failed to properly score the city’s gifted and talented tests and even more egregiously, lied about conducting quality assurance checks when correcting their first error, is totally unacceptable.
Assembly to Convene Workgroup on Child Care
May 9, 2013
By Stephanie Wood
With a lack of quality, affordable child care still an obstacle for many working families, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver announced the formation of a working group on child care issues in New York State to better understand the challenges faced by working parents.
NYSUT Members Receive Books through Partnership of AFT and First Book
May 6, 2013
By Kismet Barksdale
Thanks to a new partnership with the AFT and First Book, NYSUT members can receive new books at little or no cost for students through age 18 in schools that are Title I or Title I-eligible. Iannuzzi, who is also an AFT vice president, says he hopes to have 50,000 NYSUT members register with First Book over the coming year.
Weingarten Calls for Freeze on Testing to Common Core
May 1, 2013
By Marc Bussanich
New York, NY—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called for a moratorium on testing to the Common Core State Standards until there’s more time for teachers to prepare and students to learn the new curricula before an Association for a Better New York audience of educators, pols and business owners. Watch Video
Michael Mulgrew Wins Second Term as UFT President
April 29, 2013
By Stephanie West
UFT President Michael Mulgrew on April 25 won his second term as the union’s president with 84 percent of the vote.
“I’m honored that thousands of UFT members have supported my re-election. I look forward to working with them for the next three years as we continue to fight for the best for our students, their families, and the schools.”
Parents Teachers Rally to End High Stakes Testing
April 27, 2013
By Neal Tepel
New York NY - Parents, teachers and students gathered Friday afternoon April 26th in front of the Department of Education to demand an end to high-stakes testing (HST) in New York. According to parents at the rally the testing program and time spent on continual test preparation, interferes with the normal teaching and learning process.
EarlyLearn Opposition Kicks into High Gear!
April 25, 2013
By Marc Bussanich
New York, NY—Executive Director Raglan George Jr. of AFSCME DC 1707 has been marching outside City Hall weekly since the city’s EarlyLearn educational program took effect in October. This time he was joined by multiple labor leaders, pols, mayoral hopefuls, parents, advocates and children. George Jr. said the city has to establish baseline funding in the budget to support early childhood education, while others said the next mayor has to eliminate EarlyLearn on their first day in office. Watch Video
NYS Education Department Has Lost It's Way
April 23, 2013
By NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi
To be clear, NYSUT believes the state’s new Common Core learning standards have the potential to enhance student learning and help students hone their critical thinking skills—if implemented correctly. The key word is ‘potential’ and the key phrase is ‘if implemented correctly'.
de Blasio Comments On Proposed NYS Legislation Regarding a Middle Class Tax Credit
April 22, 2013
Stephanie West
Reacting to the Middle Class Child Care Tax Bill is being proposed by State Senator Simcha Felder and Assembly Member Herman D. Farrell, Jr., Bill de Blasio made the following statement.
A middle class tax credit by itself "won't put a serious dent in the enormous costs facing parents, or add a single new seat for a child in need. In a city where tens of thousands of working parents are without any affordable options--including many who have seen their local programs cut in recent budgets--the Speaker's proposal is too little, too late.
SEIU Urges ACA Coverage For Part-Time Workers, Adjuncts
April 22, 2013
By SEIU News Media
As the federal government considers how to develop standards for coverage of part-time work under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), SEIU submitted comments to the IRS urging for a fair and accurate assessment of how contingent faculty hours are determined. The federal regulations determining adjunct faculty hours will determine how an employers' responsibility for coverage under the ACA is assessed.
NYC Parents Boycott State Tests
April 17, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York NY - Parents in New York City and across NY State are boycotting and protesting this year's state standardized tests which started April 16, 2013. Parent groups assert that based on the numbers of concerned parents attending meetings and signing petitions, there would have been thousands more participating in this boycott if the NY State Education Department and the NYC DOE hadn’t created such an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
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