{
  "id": 12593365,
  "title": "How to vet NYC public schools like an education reporter: What parents should consider",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/how-to-vet-nyc-public-schools-like-an-education-reporter-what-parents",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Chalkbeat",
    "slug": "chalkbeat",
    "url": "https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/10/07/how-to-find-nyc-public-schools-parents-guide/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "When researching New York City public schools, there are several key factors to consider. First, it's important to evaluate teacher-trust in their school's principal. According to the NYC School Survey, 87% of teachers in the city generally have positive feelings toward their principals. However, a closer look at individual schools can reveal potential problems with leadership. For example, at P.S. 307 in Brooklyn, 12% of teachers reported feeling their principal was an effective manager, compared to 85% in 2023 after a new principal was hired.\n\nAnother indicator of a school's effectiveness is whether teachers would recommend it to other parents. In the NYC School Survey, 95% of teachers across nearly 540 schools indicated they would recommend their school. However, 56 schools had half or more of teachers declining to make such a recommendation. Laura Zingmond, senior editor at InsideSchools, cautions that this metric is not infallible and can be affected by new principals or initiatives.\n\nRegular student attendance is crucial, as chronic absenteeism can signal engagement issues. According to the city's annual data, roughly 75% of Murry Bergtraum's students missed 10% or more of school days. While certain student populations may face unique challenges in attending school, some schools work diligently to improve attendance rates.\n\nAcademic growth is another vital factor to examine. The school quality report dashboard provides an \"impact and performance\" chart, as well as detailed breakdowns of standardized test scores. While proficiency rates give a general sense of school quality, they don't necessarily reflect how well a school helps its students improve over time. Parents should consider these metrics when making informed decisions about their children's education.",
  "summary": "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. Unlike most other places in the nation, New York City families have to apply for schools at every level of their education, starting in kindergarten. The choices can be overwhelming. The nation’s…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}