What NYC public school parents need to know for the new school year
See you in September! Well, September is finally (almost) here and it is time to let the learning begin again.
The NYC public school year kicks off on Sept. 5. And with the start of the school year comes an array of changes for students and parents. Over the summer, NYC public schools have made headlines with the possibility of a smartphone ban, new lockdown drill procedures, added school holidays and much more. Here is what parents need to know about navigating through the upcoming school year.
A message from the chancellor
NYC Public Schools Chancellor David Banks told amNew York Metro he and his staff are excited to welcome the city’s 1.1 million students back to the classrooms.
“The start of a new school year is an exciting time for our school system,” Banks said. “I know I speak for all of our dedicated educators, administrators and staff members who make up our school communities when I say we cannot wait to have our halls filled with young people once again.”
What to expect heading into the 2024-2025 school year
Will cell phones be banned in schools this year?
The short answer is: Possibly.
Near the end of the school year in June, NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the possibility of banning phones in schools to help protect students’ mental health. As reported in The Guardian, she plans to introduce a bill banning smartphones in schools later this year for next year’s legislative session, which begins in January 2025.
“I have seen these addictive algorithms pull in young people, literally capture them and make them prisoners in a space where they are cut off from human connection, social interaction and normal classroom activity,” the governor said in the article.
Details of the possible ban are still pending.
Pre-K and 3-K. Is it still available? Can parents still enroll their children?
After a tumultuous budget season with parent and education advocates calling for the restoration of funding for free childcare in NYC, these programs are available this year.
At press time, seats are still available throughout the city, but not in every community. Parents can book those seats for their children, though it might be far from their homes and require some extra travel.
Parents can search for available seats at myschools.nyc. Once on the site, click “school directory” and then either “pre-K” or “3-K.”
New holidays added to the 2024-25 school calendar
Two new holidays have been added to the public school calendar this year: Diwali and Lunar New Year.
Schools will be closed on Friday, Nov. 1, for Diwali and Wednesday, Jan. 29, for Lunar New Year.
A complete list of school closings and other important dates are listed on the public schools 2024-2025 calendar.
A new Black studies curriculum
NYC public schools will have available a new Black studies curriculum this school year. The Black Studies as the Study of the World: A PK-12 Black Studies Curriculum for New York City Public Schools will teach students about traditional African cultures, the global migrations of African people throughout the African diaspora, the Black experience in the Americas from the 17th century to now, African-American history in New York and Black history and heritage in NYC.
The program, which is a collaborative effort among the public schools, the Black Education Research Center at Teachers College and Columbia University, started last year as a pilot program in 120 city schools and will expand this year to the entire public school system.
“Every student should see their identity and history in their education. I am delighted to witness the culmination of this significant initiative in our schools,” Banks said. “The Black Studies Curriculum’s comprehensive and integrated approach will deepen our students’ awareness of themselves and their communities.”
New lockdown drill policy
Schools throughout the state will implement a new lockdown drill policy this year. Parents will now know a week in advance when their child’s school will conduct mandatory lockdown drills.
The Board of Regents, which oversees general supervision of all educational activities within the state, approved the overhaul in July.
Other changes to the state-issued policy include conducting drills in a “developmentally and age-appropriate manner.” Schools will not be allowed to use props, actors, simulations or other tactics intended to mimic a school shooting, incident of violence or other emergency.
The changes were made to limit any trauma or stress students and families may suffer as a result of practice rather than a real emergency.
Jeanette Frazier is the community school director at Children’s Aid who works at the Central Park East ll School in East Harlem. She said the new policy change is a “good idea,” and added that her school has already been practicing many of the trauma-informed changes.
“When you have a social service agency that is in the building, we do a lot of prepping, a lot of talking and a lot of repetition,” she said. “We prep them and let them know that these are things we do because of safety. We never mention guns, we never mention knives. But if there’s a stranger in the building, and we don’t know who that person is, we need to make sure that everyone is safe.”
Free OMNY cards for getting to and from school
Public school students will get free OMNY cards – instead of MetroCards – to navigate the city’s transit system. This year, students will be permitted to take four free rides per day using the cards, which will be active all day, every day of the year.
