Chancellor of New York Schools: Why my mother pulled me out of the city’s public schools

Long before I was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams chancellor of the New York City public schoolsI was the third child of a single mother from Puerto Rico. Growing up in the Bronx in the 1980s, my family experienced what so many families in our city have experienced: unstable housing, lack of opportunity in our neighborhood, and most disturbing to my mother, schools that chronically failed their students .

At the time, my mother watched her first two children attend public schools, which seemed more like places to babysit young people than places where future leaders could develop. So she worked tirelessly, taking on extra jobs and sacrificing in ways big and small to send me to a private Catholic school. She fought tenaciously for my future, and because of her love and support, I became the first in my family to graduate from both high school and college.

Not long after, as a new alumna of Fordham University, I was riding the subway one day when I saw an advertisement for the New York City educators program. At that moment it all clicked. That subway ride marked the beginning of my teaching career and my life’s work – to ensure that no parent has to make the impossible choices my mother did, to ensure that every mother can confidently register her daughter at the local public school, knowing she will be safe, she will get an excellent education, and she will be prepared to take on the world.

Today I am that mother; I am the proud parent of a New York City public school student.

Much has changed in our public schools over the past few decades, and I have witnessed and assisted in these changes firsthand – as a teacher, principal, deputy superintendent, and most recently as deputy chancellor.

At the beginning of this month I became chancellorand my work is focused on ensuring that every parent in New York City’s first choice is a public school.

To do that, I will double down on the initiatives started under Mayor Adams and Chancellor David Banks. I believe deeply in the work we have started NYC reads And NYC dissolves to us reimagined Student pathways – and I intend to deliver on these priorities. Our schools must provide every student with a solid foundation in reading and math and prepare them for well-paying jobs.

The values ​​my mother instilled in me – and her support and perseverance – have brought me to where I am today.

And while the focus of our schools will not change, I would also like to highlight three additional priority areas based on my experiences, as someone whose entire life and career has been shaped by this school system.

First, I plan to focus on physical safety and emotional well-being. This is a precursor to learning and for me as a mother this is non-negotiable. When I drop my child off at school every day, I need to know that she is being cared for safely. Through community-based safety support via Project pivot pointour Safer Access Initiative to lock the front doors of schools, and our comprehensive mental health support, we are on the right track. I plan to expand and expand our work in this area so that every school is the safe and nurturing environment it should be for every child.

Second, I will strengthen our support for teachers. I have been a teacher for many years and I know that our teachers can only do their best work if they are given the resources and training they deserve. Under the Adams Administration, we have already established new employment contracts for teachers, principals and administrators, and our literacy and math initiatives NYC Reads and NYC Solves provide unprecedented levels of on-the-job coaching. But I think we can do more to solicit feedback from teachers and continually push professional development providers to meet the unique needs of our schools. The training we offer today will benefit students for decades as our teachers embrace proven approaches to reading and math and grow in their skills.

Finally, I will prioritize real and impactful family and community partnerships. This is close to my heart as the former Vice Chancellor of our Family and Community Engagement Department. I was proud to oversee the launch of our NYC reads literacy hubs And Family Literacy Ambassadorsand I would like to continue to connect with our families and raise their voices in meaningful and innovative ways.

As I sat on the subway all those years ago, staring at the advertisement for the New York City Teaching Fellows, I could never have imagined that one day I would become chancellor of the largest school district in the country. But the values ​​my mother instilled in me – and her support and perseverance – have brought me to where I am today.

As chancellor, I promise to channel that same tenacity to advocate not just for my own daughter, but for all students in New York City. Our public schools are and must be places where all our children can reach their full potential.

Melissa Aviles-Ramos is chancellor of New York City’s public schools.