Dear Families,
We made it! I hope you are all having a restful start to the summer. As you relax and reflect on the past year, we have been hard at work planning the year to come. The past year has presented us with unimaginable challenges, but also incredible opportunities for big change.
I’ve been a DOE educator for more than 20 years, and I know that turning these opportunities into real change is the work of a whole community! So we talked to principals, teachers, central office staff, families, and students who shared their experiences over the last year—and their hopes for how we move forward.
Your voices were clear: We have a chance to make key changes to some very important parts of teaching and
learning, in every grade. Right now, we can break down stubborn inequities and make sure that no matter what
school your child enters, they are warmly welcomed, and met with the highest academic expectations—and that we are ready to help them achieve.
This year, healing will happen alongside rigorous academics. I want to share just a little bit about what will change this coming year, thanks to a $635 million investment in our academic comeback for our one million students.
Before I do, I want to acknowledge that not every family feels the same way about returning to school in person. Many families are excited and ready for full-time reconnection for their children. Others feel anxious, or unsure about potential risks. I can promise you that your child’s health is our number one priority, now and always. We are opening full time for every student because we know we can protect their health and safety—and yours. And we know that being in school is critically important for your child’s growth and success.
Our Academic Recovery Plan below explains some of how we are seizing this moment so your child can learn,
heal, and thrive. More information will be posted on schools.nyc.gov this summer.
I am so excited for our homecoming on September 13 for every student—more excited than I’ve ever been in my two decades at the DOE. I am honored to share this journey with you and your child, and look forward to
reconnecting as we approach the beginning of the school year.
In partnership,
Meisha Porter
New York City Schools Chancellor