Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jul 28, 2026

New York Poured Billions Into Child Care, But In Dozens of Counties, the Waitlist Never Moved

Albany added a record $1.2 billion to child care this year, yet the voucher waitlist still hasn't budged in dozens of New York counties heading into fall.

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jul 27, 2026

The End of the Regents as You Knew It: What New York's New Diploma Means for Your Kid

New York is phasing out Regents exams for a competency-based diploma. The Class of 2027 is the last required to pass. Here is what every NY parent should do now.

a parent and teenager comparing two pairs of sneakers

Parent Support

Gary The Creator 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.

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

Gary The Creator 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.

Girls with playful smiles at the rock exhibit

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jul 7, 2026

The Empty Afternoon: Why the Best Thing You Can Give Your Kid This Summer Is Nothing to Do

Child development research suggests the most valuable thing you can give a kid this summer isn't another camp or activity. It's a long, boring, unsupervised afternoon with nothing planned at all.

An adult mentor and a teenage student talking in a sunlit school hallway

Parent Support

Simone P. Jun 29, 2026

When the Warning Signs Look Like Kindness: A Parent's Guide to Grooming

Most child sexual abuse comes from someone a family trusts, and it almost never starts with an assault. It starts with grooming that looks like kindness. Here is how to read the pattern, tell a caring teacher from a concerning one, protect kids from digital grooming, and report the right way if something feels off.

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jun 24, 2026

Your Child's Summer Grocery Money Is Real But Getting It Isn't Always Automatic

New York's Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) puts $120 per child toward summer groceries, and 2026 benefits are landing now. But attending a free-meal school does not guarantee it. Here is who gets it automatically, who has to apply by September 8, and how to claim money your family may be owed.

a parent sitting at a kitchen table handwriting a letter

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jun 23, 2026

How to Get Your Child Evaluated for Special Education (and IEP or a 504)

Suspect your child needs support at school but don't know where to start? This New York guide walks parents through requesting a special education evaluation, the 60-day deadlines districts must meet, the two-question eligibility test, and how to tell whether your child needs an IEP or a 504 plan.

father and son watching a basketball game

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jun 19, 2026

The 0.4 Percent Rule: What to Tell Your Kid When the Odds Say Quit

A championship speech turned a 0.4 percent comeback into a worldview. Here is how parents can borrow that same reframe to raise kids who keep working when the odds, and the scoreboard, say it is time to quit.

a family meeting with a special education committee, discussing their child's IEP

Parent Support

Gary The Creator Jun 16, 2026

Your Child Has an IEP, Now What? A Parent's Step-by-Step Survival Guide

If your child just received an IEP and you're not sure what happens next, this step-by-step guide walks New York parents through their rights, the annual review process, how to respond when services aren't delivered, and free resources available statewide.

The Standard NY Resource Center

The Standard NY Resource Center is a statewide support hub designed to help New York families, students, educators, and community members better understand the school system and access practical guidance. From family support and special education to mental health, attendance, school finance, and downloadable tools, this center brings together plain-language resources that make it easier to navigate important education issues, ask better questions, and find the right next step.

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