Dear Families,
I hope the new year is treating you and your loved ones well and that your children are settling back into their learning routines. There are a lot of great things happening in our public schools this month!
First, we are committed to continuing to improve teaching and learning during this unprecedented school year. Your feedback is key to this effort. This week, we launched our School Experience Survey to learn about our students’ and families’ experiences with remote and in-person learning this school year. Our goal is to use that feedback to improve learning for the rest of the year. Families of children in grades 3-K – 12, and students in grades 6 – 12 can go right now to schools.nyc.gov/experiencesurveyto tell us what you think!
Second, you may be aware that we are making some important changes to our elementary, middle, and high school admissions processes to better serve all our students. These changes will help us continue to move toward a better, more equitable school system that helps every student succeed.
In the Update for Families below, you will find additional information on these new admissions policies, as well as on the School Experience Survey.
In other news, I want to share that we have delivered 450,000 free devices to students since last spring to help them with their remote learning. We have 50,000 more devices on the way. Need a device? Ask your school. You no longer need to fill out an online form; your school will help you through the process to receive one.
The free COVID-19 vaccine is also in the news, and you probably wonder when and where you can get yours. New Yorkers age 65 or older and certain frontline essential workers, including school and childcare staff, are now eligible to get the vaccine. Eligible New Yorkers can reserve their appointment by calling (877) VAX-4NYC or by visiting nyc.gov/VaccineFinder. You can also access up-to-date information about who is eligible anytime at nyc.gov/vaccinecommandcenter. COVID-19 vaccines are not yet being administered to children under age 16; however, we will communicate if and when children under age 16 are eligible to receive it.
Thank you again for partnering with us to ensure that all our students receive the best education possible in the greatest city in the world.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Carranza
Chancellor
New York City Department of Education
Update for Families, January 22, 2021
Fall 2020 School Experience Survey
We want to know about your experience with remote and in-person learning during the current school year. Now through February 5, please share your opinions via the Survey by visiting schools.nyc.gov/experiencesurvey.
The survey collects feedback from families, students, and teachers about remote learning, communication, technology use, and health, safety, and instruction for those students and teachers who attended school or worked in person at any point this school year. Your feedback will help us understand student needs and improve remote and in-person learning for the rest of the school year.
The survey is open to families and teachers of students in grades 3-K–12, and students in grades 6–12. The survey is available in English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Urdu. All feedback provided is anonymous and confidential.
Anyone who cannot complete the survey online can call 311 to find support to complete the survey by phone. The survey closes on Friday, February 5, and we want to hear from you!
Middle and High School Admissions
Middle school applications opened January 14 and high school applications opened January 20. This year we’ve made some changes to better support our students’ learning journeys and to ensure a fairer process for all our public school families. Now that the high school application is open, you will be able to apply online at MySchools.nyc or through your school counselor. The deadline to apply is February 23.
