Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s school device ban has its first exception: virtual tutoring
Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. New York City has granted its first exemption to a sweeping ban on digital devices in classrooms serving young students, allowing a major tutoring program to provide one-on-one virtual instruction.…
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's school device ban in New York City initially barred students in second grade and below from using digital devices. However, the ban has its first exception for a major tutoring program called CUNY Reading Fellows. This program provides one-on-one virtual instruction to struggling readers in K-2 grades, reaching approximately 1,600 students last school year.
The ban threatened to disrupt the program, but NYC Public Schools (NYCPS) granted an exemption after the program's success in improving outcomes for vulnerable populations was highlighted. Katie Pace Miles, the program's creator, confirmed the exemption, stating that "NYCPS wisely made an exemption for the remote tutoring option."
Although Education Department spokesperson Nicole Brownstein did not directly address the decision, officials noted that programs using human teachers for real-time instruction could qualify for exemptions. Some observers criticized the city for not considering the implications of the 1-to-1 device ban on the tutoring initiative earlier.
Despite the exemption, parent leader Kaliris Salas-Ramirez expressed disappointment, emphasizing the need for schools to provide face-to-face support when virtual tutoring is not feasible. The CUNY Reading Fellows program, launched in 2020 during remote learning, uses high-dosage tutoring to help students improve foundational literacy skills.
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