Schooled: Inside the Nation’s Largest School District
Schooled is a parent-driven podcast examining the pivotal moment facing New York City public education. With enrollment falling, standards shifting, and politics increasingly overshadowing academics, hosts Deborah Alexander, Yiatin Chu, and Josh Kross dig into what families are really seeing in classrooms and communities. They unpack the debates: gifted programs, policy experiments, data transparency, and the widening gap between official narratives and lived realities. Smart talk and real stakes from real stakeholders, this is the conversation NYC’s families can’t afford to ignore. Schooled is available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Email comments, questions, and podcast suggestions to schooled@placenyc.org.
Episodes
1/22/2026, Episode 3
There’s a new focus on math curriculum in NY and it’s sparking a debate. Hosts Yiatin, Josh, and Deb speak with guest Maggie Fuertado, a retired Manhattan math teacher and Big Apple Award recipient, to unravel the complexities of teaching math in NYC. What makes it so challenging? Is it just the curriculum and is anyone getting it right?
1/15/2026, Episode 2
Back in the Headlines — NYC’s Gifted and Talented Program
Mayor Mamdani wants to end the Gifted and Talented program but has faced blowback. What exactly is at stake? How did we get here? Guest Alina Adams, a best-selling author and local parent of three, joins the discussion.
1/8/2026, Episode 1
Kamar Samuels is appointed as the new Chancellor. Who is he and what did parents think of him as a superintendent? Will Gifted & Talented programs be on the line? Discussion on what his priorities might be. Plus, Mayor Mamdani walked back mayoral control but how are schools governed in NYC, and do parents even know about it?
1/6/2026, Trailer
Schooled: Inside the Nation’s Largest School District is a weekly podcast for New York City parents FROM New York City parents parents that debates the real issues, politics, and policies shaping the future of the nation’s largest public school system.