The Definitive Guide to New York Education & Parenting

Gary The Creator Oct 15, 2026

Washington Says Opt-Out Isn't Enough for School Mental Health Screenings. What That Means for New York Families

A joint Education and Justice Department letter says schools need a parent's signature before any mental health screener, and opt-out notices no longer count. Albany has not said what New York districts should do.

News & Updates

Gary The Creator Oct 15, 2026

A $2 Million Wedding Gift From Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Aims to Hire New York Music Teachers

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce gave $2 million to Education Through Music the week of their wedding. Here is what it buys, what the program can show for it, and the public arts gap no single gift can close.

News & Updates

Gary The Creator Oct 15, 2026

Albany Was Told Preschoolers Were Waiting for Special Ed Services - Nearly Two Years Later, Four Fixes Are Half Done

A Comptroller follow-up found the State Education Department finished three of seven preschool special education fixes. The four left undone include the provider shortage and real-time tracking of children going without services.

The Standard Guides

Gary The Creator Oct 15, 2026

Free College Applications, Date by Date: SUNY, CUNY and the Private Colleges That Close First

CUNY is free through Nov. 16, SUNY from Oct. 19 to Nov. 2, and many private colleges stop waiving fees on Oct. 31. Here is every window in order, and the rows on the state's list to double-check.

Community Voices

Gary The Creator Oct 14, 2026

NY State Tests: Paper vs. Computer, and the Missing Study

New York City wants its grades 3 through 8 students back on paper state tests. Before Albany carves out one district, it owes every family the mode study it says it already ran.

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Oct 14, 2026

New York's Measles Emergency Never Mentions Schools - An Older Rule Decides Who Stays Home

Executive Order 65 expands who can give the MMR shot, but the power to send children home during an outbreak sits in a Health Department rule that now reaches far fewer students than it did in 2019.

Business Office Desk With Administrative Form and Pen

Business & Operations

Gary The Creator Oct 14, 2026

Starting Nov. 1, Every Federal Education Dollar New York Draws Needs a 255-Character Explanation

Washington's new defend-the-spend rule lands first on the State Education Department, which draws Title I and IDEA money for every New York district. Here is what business offices should prepare before NYSED says how it will pass the requirement down.

The Playbook

Gary The Creator Oct 13, 2026

NY Teacher Parental Leave: What the Law Guarantees

School districts can skip New York's Paid Family Leave program entirely. Here is what teachers are owed when a child arrives, from federal end-of-term rules to paid lactation breaks, and how locals like Babylon are bargaining for more.

News & Updates

Gary The Creator Oct 12, 2026

Gov. Hochul Opts New York Into the $1,700 Federal Scholarship Credit - Organization List Due Feb 15

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday that New York will join the federal scholarship tax credit over union and legislative objections. Here is what it means for families and what comes next.

Teacher Crisis and trauma related to When Caring Hurts: How Student Trauma Fuels a Teacher Crisis

The Playbook

Gary The Creator Oct 8, 2026

Your Personnel File Opens Nov. 8: A New York Teacher's Playbook for the New Records Law

A new state law lets New York teachers get a free copy of their personnel file within five business days and answer anything negative in writing. Here is how to use it.

News & Updates

Gary The Creator Oct 8, 2026

A$AP Rocky's Roc Nation School Scholarship Closes Dec. 15: How to Apply, and What Full Tuition Leaves Out

A$AP Rocky will pay four years of tuition for one Roc Nation School freshman, and Missy Elliott is bringing four HBCU bands to Norfolk. Here is how students apply, and what to ask before accepting.

The Standard Guides

Gary The Creator Oct 8, 2026

Already Have a Degree? New York Will Now Pay for a Second One at Community College

Starting in spring 2027, adults 25 to 55 who already hold a degree can earn a free associate in a high-demand field at SUNY or CUNY. The tuition value, the enrollment trend, and the costs the program leaves to families.

New York's Highest Court Handed School Segregation Back to Elected Leaders: Albany Is Treating It Like a Mayor's Problem

New York's Class of 2026 Averaged 1053 on the SAT: What That Number Means for This Year's Juniors and Seniors

Teachers Who Coach: What New York's First Coaching Rule Rewrite in Decades Changes Before Winter Season

Washington Says Opt-Out Isn't Enough for School Mental Health Screenings. What That Means for New York Families

A $2 Million Wedding Gift From Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Aims to Hire New York Music Teachers

Albany Was Told Preschoolers Were Waiting for Special Ed Services - Nearly Two Years Later, Four Fixes Are Half Done

Free College Applications, Date by Date: SUNY, CUNY and the Private Colleges That Close First

NY State Tests: Paper vs. Computer, and the Missing Study

New York's Measles Emergency Never Mentions Schools - An Older Rule Decides Who Stays Home

Starting Nov. 1, Every Federal Education Dollar New York Draws Needs a 255-Character Explanation

NY Teacher Parental Leave: What the Law Guarantees

Gov. Hochul Opts New York Into the $1,700 Federal Scholarship Credit - Organization List Due Feb 15

Your Personnel File Opens Nov. 8: A New York Teacher's Playbook for the New Records Law

A$AP Rocky's Roc Nation School Scholarship Closes Dec. 15: How to Apply, and What Full Tuition Leaves Out

Already Have a Degree? New York Will Now Pay for a Second One at Community College

The Standard NY Resource Center