Have Charter Schools in Upstate Cities Achieved their Promise?

According to a recent article by Albany Times-Union columnist Chris Churchill, the sponsors of a new Charter school in Schenectady faced a chilly reception from area elected representatives. Churchill wrote, “Before it even opened, the new Destine Preparatory Charter School was denounced by two area politicians, Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara. In a joint statement issued when […]

Have Charter Schools In New York City Achieved their Promise?

Although charter schools have operated in New York State since 1998, their effectiveness continues to be disputed. A recent New York Times article, “New York City Schools Face a Crisis, Charter Schools Gain Students, points out, “As traditional public schools in the nation’s largest system endure a perilous period of student loss and funding shortfalls, […]

An Early Look at COVID’s Educational Disruption in New York State

When COVID hit the nation in early 2020, the nation’s schools shut down. The disruption continued into the 2020-2021 school year, as most schools offered remote or hybrid learning rather than in-person instruction. Some reopened but suspended in-person instruction because of COVID in classrooms. These decisions became contentious, with critics pointing to their likely impact […]

New York’s Uneven Economy

Although the COVID pandemic caused double-digit unemployment levels in 2020, the nation’s recovery has been rapid. Unemployment decreased quickly in New York and the country, dropping to 4.4% percent in New York and 3.5% in the nation in July 2022. The recently announced July number for the United States is as low as pre-pandemic unemployment […]

The Continuing Racial and Ethnic Income Gap in New York and the Nation

Race has been a defining aspect of American society since Europeans came to this continent. Although racial identification reflects where people’s ancestors lived, not biological differences between people, it gained a connotation of superiority or inferiority as a justification for actions by dominant settlers of European descent to subjugate non-Europeans for economic benefit. One consequence […]

The Economic Value of College Depends upon Where You Live

College graduates enjoy a substantial income premium over those with a high school degree. In New York State, the median income in 2019 for people aged 25 or older with a Bachelor’s degree was $62,699. The median income for high school graduates was only $33,491. For those with advanced degrees, the median was $81,041. But […]

With a New Governor, New York Faces Economic Challenges

For decades, New York has had substantial disparities in economic performance. Although some parts of the State are doing relatively well, much of it has declining employment, higher levels of poverty, lower household income levels, and fewer adults working than the nation. Over most of the past decade, job growth was limited to Eastern New […]

New York’s School Aid Cuts Will Disproportionately Harm Poor Districts

A recent Albany Times-Union report “recently warned officials they should expect state aid payments to be reduced by 20 percent.”  The source of the report was the Questar III Board of Cooperative Educational Services State Aid and Financial Planning.  The Times-Union article went on to report that “Freeman Klopott, a spokesman for the state budget […]