Kicking the Can

Kicking the Can

School may technically still be in session, but for many New York City students the year is already over. This week, the hosts explore the strange limbo of June, when Regents exams take over school buildings, classrooms empty out, and serious questions emerge about whether the city’s academic calendar still makes sense. They also unpack the latest developments in New York’s ongoing class-size battle, including a new two-year extension, controversial teacher bonuses, and the growing gap between the law’s ambitions and the realities facing schools. Finally, they discuss the political pressures facing Chancellor Kamar Samuels and what his recent controversy reveals about the competing interests shaping education policy in New York City.

Councilmember Phil Wong’s Look Ahead on Education

Deb, Yiatin, and Josh sit with City Councilmember Phil Wong who lays out the hot button issues being discussed on the Education Committee like generative AI, the digital state test fiasco, budget issues, and the Gifted and Talented bill [https://intro.nyc/0684-2026+] he is co-sponsoring.

The Impending Enrollment Apocalypse

A new report [https://manhattan.institute/article/what-to-do-about-nycs-empty-schools] on declining enrollment projections in NYC by Danyela Souza-Egorov, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and public school parent, are coming to a head and empty seats have Yiatin, Josh, and Deb asking — what happens when a class size [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XcTJBulJzzGt2N7i9LbXjQV6pHGekE0B/view?usp=drivesdk] is too small? Plus, a controversial new incentive for teachers in oversized classrooms raises eyebrows.

Grading the News on a Curve

This week on Schooled, Deb, Yiatin and Josh unpack Harvard’s controversial move to cap the number of A grades and what it says about grade inflation from Ivy League campuses to New York City classrooms. The conversation explores whether grades still measure merit, how inflated standards shape student expectations, and why subjective grading creates problems for admissions and accountability alike. They also dive into shrinking 3K enrollment, mayoral control, class size mandates, and the city’s growing education budget despite declining student numbers. At the center of it all is one persistent question: if schools refuse to measure success honestly, how can anyone know what’s actually working?

NYC Comptroller Mark Levine Shows Us the Money

As Albany budget negotiations continue to unfold, NYC Comptroller Mark Levine joins Josh, Yiatin, and Deb for a timely conversation about accountability, education funding, and the forces shaping school budgets. Along the way, he hints at changes he’d like to make and offers a serious warning about what the future could hold for education spending.