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
3/19/2026, Episode 10
AI in Schools: The Good, Bad, and Ugly
A new cutting edge high school is being proposed in NYC dubbed “the AI high school” sparking a debate about what does AI in schools mean? Linda Quarles and Benjamin Morden, council members from CCHS, join hosts Yiatin, Deb, and Josh on what an AI high school is all about and the pros and cons of using AI in schools.
3/5/2026, Episode 9
Sorting Out Specialized High School Enrollment
High school offers are going out today to NYC public school 8th graders. On top of many students’ list are the coveted Specialized High Schools. Josh, Deb, and Yiatin discuss with guest Wai Wah Chin, the charter president of CACAGNY and adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute, on one way that opportunities could be expanded.
2/26/2026, Episode 8
A proposed school merger stirs up strong reactions and makes the news, but why is that? Hosts Yiatin, Deb, and Josh discuss why some school moves are controversial. Also an unexpected leadership resignation at the DOE and what that could mean for parents. Plus, more snow day talk!
2/15/2026, Episode 7
Straight Talk with Senator John Liu
As Mayor Mamdani enters the 2nd month of his term, his plans to meet compliance for the Small Class Size Law remains unclear. Hosts Deb, Yiatin, and Josh drill down with Senator John Liu on concerns with the law and how it relates (or doesn’t) to mayoral control and what mayoral control should look like. Plus, Sen. Liu gives advice on how parents can be heard.
2/12/2026, Episode 6
Is New York State’s law mandating strict caps on class size everything it’s hyped to up be? Stephen Stowe, former president of CEC20 and the co-author of the NYCPS Class Size Working Group’s Minority Report, join hosts Deb, Josh, and Yiatin to debate the value and challenges of the mandate, and if the unintended consequences from the practical realities are worth the tradeoffs for parents.
2/5/2026, Episode 5
Josh, Deb, and Yiatin tackle the alphabet soup of education acronyms, and give a primer for parents who are new to NYC public schools.
1/29/2026, Episode 4
A winter storm hits New York City, and schools across the five boroughs are closed—triggering a familiar debate about the real reasons snow days have all but disappeared. Instead of sleds and snowball fights, students are logging on from home, laptops open, cameras (sometimes) on. But do remote learning days actually work? Are they meaningfully effective for students, families, and teachers—or are they a convenient substitute for something we’ve quietly lost? Email us your comments or questions at schooled@placenyc.org
1/15/2026, 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.