Melissa Aviles-Ramos to present the key speech at our site's Educational Conference in New York.
Next week, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), will deliver a keynote speech at City & State's "Education in New York: Shaping Tomorrow's Schools Through Innovation" summit. The event promises to be a significant gathering, as Chancellor Aviles-Ramos outlines her vision for the future of education in the city.
At the heart of her agenda are several key initiatives and goals, aimed at advancing academic achievement, supporting vulnerable student populations, and integrating technology in classrooms.
One of the cornerstones of her strategy is the NYC Reads and NYC Solves programmes, which have shown positive results in increasing student proficiency in English Language Arts and math across diverse student groups citywide. These evidence-based programmes are set to expand, reaching over 490,000 students in total, with the aim of closing achievement gaps and raising overall performance.
Another priority is the implementation of the new district-wide Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy for the 2025-26 school year. This policy aims to reduce distractions and bolster classroom focus, reflecting a broader statewide push for "distraction-free" learning environments with bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions.
The Chancellor is also committed to supporting vulnerable student populations. To this end, she has created the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning, which focuses on multi-language learners and students with disabilities, and has plans to improve and expand Gifted and Talented programs and special education.
In terms of staffing, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos has pledged to hire 3,700 new teachers to reduce class sizes and provide more individualized student support. This commitment is backed by substantial investments exceeding $600 million to stabilize and enhance critical programs like Summer Rising, community schools, social workers, and arts education.
The Chancellor is also launching the NYCPS Cares initiative, which focuses on holistic student well-being and support within schools. This initiative integrates social-emotional and mental health resources to foster safe, nurturing, and equitable school environments aligned with innovation in education approaches.
In addition, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos is emphasizing the strategic use of technology in classrooms. She is working closely with principals, superintendents, and vendors to ensure the right technological tools are used, with a focus on making sure that these tools are culturally responsive and supportive of various ethnic backgrounds and identities. The school system aims to use technology to increase productivity in the classroom for teachers and to prepare students to become producers of technology, not just consumers.
At the summit, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos will discuss the work on New York City Reads and New York City Solves, as well as the latest initiative, NYCPS Cares. Since becoming Chancellor, she has been committed to moving the work forward on these initiatives to shape future schools that are both high-performing and equitable. The school system is excited to increase technological access for students and is concerned with the responsible use of AI and other technologies.
The "Shaping Tomorrow's Schools Through Innovation" summit is scheduled for the following week, and it promises to be an insightful event where Chancellor Aviles-Ramos will share her vision for the future of education in New York City.
- Chancellor Aviles-Ramos has emphasized the strategic use of technology in classrooms as part of her vision, working with principals, superintendents, and vendors to ensure the right technological tools are utilized, with a focus on those that are culturally responsive and supportive of various ethnic backgrounds and identities.
- In terms of education-and-self-development, the Chancellor is launching the NYCPS Cares initiative, which focuses on holistic student well-being and support within schools, integrating social-emotional and mental health resources to foster safe, nurturing, and equitable school environments aligned with innovation in education approaches.
