1st day of school for nearly 1 million students in NYC. Here are some changes in the classroom.
NEW YORK -- It's the first day of school for New York City public schools and nearly one million students in the nation's largest district.
Mayor Eric Adams will be joined by Schools Chancellor David Banks to welcome students back to PS 257 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
See NYC Public Schools full academic calendar for the 2024-2025 year here, including holidays and exams, plus information about meals and transportation.
New phonics-based curriculum, NYC Reads
Data from the Department of Education shows a 2.6 percent decrease in reading proficiency last year among students in grades three through eight. But the schools chancellor tells CBS News New York the decrease has nothing to do with the new phonics-based curriculum he is pushing, called NYC Reads.
The literacy program was implemented in 15 community school districts last year, and it's being adopted by all districts this fall. Banks says although he believes the new curriculum will help many, it may be too late for older students.
"We haven't given up on those kids, and there are a number of supports we provide them. It's just that most of the focus has been on younger kids, because we're trying to plug the dam, if you will," he said in an interview with CBS News New York's Doug Williams.
NYC school rules for cellphones in classrooms
When it comes to banning cellphones in class, the mayor and chancellor say they are still working on a plan and observing what other districts, like Los Angeles, have done before moving ahead.
About 350 schools already have their own individual cellphone restrictions in place.
"I don't think that cellphones have a real place in our schools," Banks said.
The goal is for bans to be enforced as kids enter school, rather than adding to the long list of responsibilities for teachers.
See more of Chancellor Banks one-on-one interview with CBS News New York's Doug Williams here.
