The Definitive Guide to New York Education & Parenting

a parent and teenager comparing two pairs of sneakers

Justin G. Jul 23, 2026

The New Back-to-School Budget: What Families Are Really Spending in 2026

Families expect to spend an average of $863.86 per K-12 student this year, but the real back-to-school budget runs from August through June, not just one shopping trip. Here is where the money actually goes, and how families, especially in New York, can budget smarter.

student using an AI learning assistant on a laptop at a classroom desk

Community Voices

Justin G. Jul 22, 2026

AI Isn't Going Away: Schools Should Stop Pretending They Can Ban It

Students are already using artificial intelligence inside and outside school. Districts should replace blanket bans with explicit rules, stronger assessments, teacher training, and serious AI literacy.

News & Updates

Justin G. Jul 21, 2026

Over 100 Lawsuits Filed Against Trump's Education Reshaping

From dismantling the Department of Education to a birthright citizenship order, here is every major legal front in the fight over Trump's education agenda, and what New York stands to win or lose.

New York high school students in an agriculture-based career pathway

News & Updates

Justin G. Jul 20, 2026

New York's New Diploma Plan Isn't Finished But Rural Schools Are Already Building It

New York is moving toward a competency-based diploma, and two rural districts, Marion and Cassadaga Valley, are already building the career pathways the state's NY Inspires initiative is still designing.

News & Updates

Simone P. Jul 17, 2026

New York's Summer Programs Keep Getting Smoked Out, and No One's Fixed the Response

A statewide air quality advisory pulled summer camps indoors across New York this week, but whether a program got the memo in time still comes down to luck.

Black senior homeowner reviewing paperwork

News & Updates

Justin G. Jul 17, 2026

Property Tax Relief Is Coming for Nearly 3 Million New Yorkers - Here Is What You Will Actually See

Nearly 3 million New Yorkers are splitting over $2 billion in STAR property tax relief this year, with checks running from $350 to $1,500 depending on age and income.

A teacher at a desk, laptop open to a lesson-plan

News & Updates

Justin G. Jul 16, 2026

Claude for Teachers Launches Amid NY AI Policy Gaps

Anthropic's free new AI tool for teachers lands in New York classrooms just as the state's biggest district still can't finish its own AI rules, and the nation's largest teachers union pivots from banning classroom AI to endorsing it.

a parent crouched down hugging a young child goodbye outside a school entrance

Parent Support

Simone P. Jul 16, 2026

Is Your Child Actually Ready for Kindergarten? What Teachers Notice During the First Month

Forget the checklist of letters and numbers. Kindergarten teachers spend the first month watching for something else entirely, and here is exactly what it is.

A child sits in bed illuminated by a tablet

Parent Support

Justin G. Jul 15, 2026

When Summer Screen Time Becomes a School-Year Problem

Summer technology habits can make the return to school harder. A gradual family reset can restore sleep, attention, homework routines, and healthier phone boundaries without turning every day into an argument.

School technology professionals reviewing district network security

Parent Support

Simone P. Jul 15, 2026

How Secure Is Your School District's Student Data?

New York audits found thousands of unnecessary school network accounts and delayed breach notifications. Here is what families should ask about student-data security.

black female principal observing small-group instruction

The Playbook

Simone P. Jul 14, 2026

What Happens When New York Places a School in Receivership?

New York school receivership gives superintendents expanded authority to turn around persistently struggling schools. Here is what changes and what families can demand.

A child being tutored in a room that has views to outside where other kids are playing

News & Updates

Justin G. Jul 13, 2026

New York's New Reading Push Could Change What Summer Tutoring Actually Buys You

New York is training 25 Empire State Service Corps members in the science of reading. Here is what the shift means for summer tutoring, how families should evaluate reading support, and the questions every parent should ask before saying yes.

New York's New Diploma Plan Isn't Finished But Rural Schools Are Already Building It

Property Tax Relief Is Coming for Nearly 3 Million New Yorkers - Here Is What You Will Actually See

What Happens When New York Places a School in Receivership?

The Standard NY Resource Center