Jessica Gould

2 days ago | gothamist.com | Jessica Gould

Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday the next phase of his signature literacy initiative will be extended to more than 100 middle schools, though one much-criticized curricula was notably absent. Adams, who is dyslexic, has made improving literacy his top educational priority and championed an effort to streamline curricula in both reading and math. He said students’ persistently low test scores in reading and math – hovering around 50% – have shown that a course-change was urgently needed.

1 week ago | gothamist.com | Jessica Gould

Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday pledged to increase and extend New York City's investment in free preschool, after tussling with parents over funding for early-childhood education for his first years in office. Adams announced a proposal to include $167 million for seats for 3-year-olds and students with disabilities in the city’s next fiscal budget, which is due at the end of June.

1 week ago | gothamist.com | Ben Feuerherd |Jessica Gould |Ramsey Khalifeh

A Columbia University student and vocal pro-Palestinian advocate was arrested by immigration authorities when he went to sit for a naturalization interview Monday, according to his attorneys. Mohsen Mahdawi, a permanent United States resident and green card holder who emigrated from the West Bank, was arrested by immigration authorities in Vermont, where his permanent residence is located, one of his attorneys told Gothamist.

2 weeks ago | gothamist.com | Jessica Gould

After years of saying New York City did not have the money to meet the mandates of a state law lowering class sizes, Mayor Eric Adams changed his tune Wednesday, announcing to support 750 public schools in shrinking their classroom headcounts. Under the state law passed in 2022, 60% of schools are required to meet the new limits by September. Classes from kindergarten through third grade are capped at 20 students, fourth through eighth grade at 23 students and high school classes at 25 students.

2 weeks ago | gothamist.com | Jessica Gould

Art classes, music and sports are among the programs at risk as the Trump administration threatens to cut federal funding for states that don’t sign off on anti-DEI efforts. Last week, the New York state education department refused to certify that it barred all diversity, equity and inclusion programs, writing that the agency was not obliged to comply with the federal government’s interpretation of the law.