| As the largest school district in the nation, with over | | | | school teachers in Harlem will have an inner-city |
| a million students, the New York City Public Schools | | | | experience, while New York City school teachers in |
| face a mammoth task. In some ways New York City | | | | Long Island may have a more suburban teaching |
| Schools are at an advantage because New York | | | | experience. |
| State has required the stringent Regents exam as a | | | | Issues for New York City Schools |
| requirement for graduation for years. That doesn't | | | | The size of New York City Schools and classrooms is |
| mean that everyone in the New York City Schools is | | | | an issue that has haunted teachers for years. Most |
| fond of the mandatory tests, but it has put the city | | | | teachers agree that smaller class sizes are more |
| and state at an advantage as far as meeting some | | | | effective for creating learning environments. Some |
| of the No Child Left Behind Act's Standards. At least | | | | students and teachers in about 50 New York City |
| teachers and administrators of the New York City | | | | Schools have moved into smaller sized school |
| Schools already had some tight standards in place. | | | | buildings. Teachers in New York City Schools say that |
| Teachers in New York City Schools need to have or | | | | smaller school sizes create a more intimate setting, |
| obtain a Master's Degree to teach. While the New | | | | better parent-teacher relationships, and higher |
| York City Schools are in need of teachers, just like | | | | student achievement. Teachers also have a better |
| the rest of the nation, the standards that they hold | | | | chance of individualizing instruction when there are |
| their teachers to and the pay are among the highest | | | | fewer students in a classroom. While the small |
| in the country. That's not to say the New York City | | | | schools initiative was mainly targeted at school size, |
| Schools don't have problems- they do. But the New | | | | teachers try to address class size as well. |
| York City Schools do have a sound foundation for | | | | Teacher turnover has been an issue in many, usually |
| hiring teachers. | | | | poorer, New York City Schools. Coming up with ways |
| Diversity of New York City Schools | | | | to keep teachers happy in these at-risk areas |
| For anyone who hasn't visited the Big Apple, it's not | | | | continues to be a challenge. Tenured teachers often |
| easy to explain the different worlds that exist in one | | | | leave these for "better" schools. And turnover itself |
| city. It's like the difference between the hustle and | | | | creates issues. The teachers in the New York City |
| busy of New York City and the rural feel of the rest | | | | Schools have a tough job by anyone's standards. And |
| of New York State- different worlds. For teachers in | | | | as the country looks for solutions to public education, |
| New York City it means that where you teach can | | | | New York City Schools will continue to be watched |
| make all the difference in the world. New York City | | | | closely. |