New York City’s Bill de Blasio announced recently that the NYC Public School system will phase out the Gifted and Talented Program. Beginning next fall, no new kindergarteners will be enrolled into gifted elementary school classes, which accounts for about 16,000 students. Of those students, about 75 percent are white or Asian American (who make up about 25 percent of…
Author: Maureen Kelleher

A CPS Third-Grader Got in Trouble for Stating Truths about Columbus
A Chicago Public Schools third-grader knows the real deal on Columbus and Indigenous Peoples Day. Do you?

Bumbling No More: Transfer Accomplished
While I’m delighted that all this effort put Youngest in a better situation, it shouldn’t be necessary. Every neighborhood school should be a Great Neighborhood School.

Bumbling through CPS Transfer, Part IV: Safety Transfer vs. Pulling Strings
Youngest shouldn’t have to be a brand-new kid in school this year. But what will it take to get him back to his old school?

Bumbling through CPS School Transfer, Part III: Backup Plans
Before I take our arrangement to Great Neighborhood School, I need to run it past another CPS principal to see if it flies.

Bumbling through CPS School Transfer, Part II: Comadres
In which Youngest’s mom and I decide to make our comadre relationship official.

Not-So-Smooth Operator, Or How I’m Bumbling Through the School Transfer Process, Part I
When a kid is in trouble and needs to change schools, understanding how to get a transfer is like playing chess in 3D. Here’s my story.

‘I’m Here:’ Hamline Starts off Strong
At Hamline Elementary in Back of the Yards, showing up and wearing masks are a snap. But can Hamline pinpoint students’ academic holes and fill them?