NEW YORK CITY — On the heels of big announcements for New York City schools and teachers, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza hopes the majority, if not all, teachers will be vaccinated by the spring.
Carranza told PIX11 the Department of Education worked with the city to set up vaccine sites at some high schools, and many teachers have already gotten vaccinated.
“Hopefully by April, everyone will be vaccinated.”
Despite his hopes to have all teachers vaccinated by April, Carranza said it depends on how much of a vaccine supply the city has.
Although people are getting vaccinated, Carranza said they will listen to medical experts and have everyone wear masks and take proper precautions.
President-elect Joe Biden wants the majority of kids to return to in-person learning in his first 100 days in office, and the mayor has some students in school five days a week. Carranza attributed the five-day-a-week schooling to the deadline that allowed kids to opt-in to in-person learning.
With the deadline, the city was able to determine how many kids will be in school and they were able to determine some schools have the capacity to allow students to go to school five days a week.
The city also announced it was getting rid of it’s exam for the gifted and talented program.
Carranza clarified the city is not ending the gifted and talented program, just the exam, arguing the program makes the decision based on one test given to four year olds.
Instead, they’re going to redesign and pivot the system based on research.
“We’re not ending it, what we’re doing is putting it to best practices,” he said.
