Prominent Education Advocate Details Personal School Choice Experience
Prominent school choice advocate detailed personal reasons for selecting alternative education for her daughter.
Event / Society
US Public School Education Debate
Discussion of educational challenges and disparities in US public schools, including analysis of academic performance data and school choice decisions.
4 reported locations
Daily activity
3 articles0 articles
2026-09-25 to 2026-11-02 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 25 Sept, 03:35 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
Oregon eliminated high school literacy requirements for graduation
Three years ago, Oregon eliminated its English, math and science literacy requirements for high school graduation, citing that minority students disproportionately could not pass the tests.
Chicago public schools show low reading and math proficiency despite high spending
Chicago spends more than $27,000 per student annually, yet only about 25 percent of students can read at grade level and even fewer can perform grade-appropriate mathematics.
New York City school attendance shows low academic proficiency rates
Only 29 percent of New York City's eighth-grade students are proficient in reading, and only 23 percent are proficient in math. The city spends an average of $44,000 per student per year, and the specific school attended by Hannah-Jones' daughter spent over $50,000 per student annually.
Hannah-Jones daughter unprepared for high school rigorous curriculum
When Hannah-Jones' daughter selected her own high school, she chose one with a reputation for rigor but discovered she was wholly unprepared for the work required. Private tutors and teachers provided extra assistance to help her catch up.
Hannah-Jones daughter attended school where students were not fed during lunch
During first grade, Hannah-Jones visited her daughter's school (P.S. 307) during lunch and observed her daughter and classmates sitting at a table without lunch while other children ran wild in the cafeteria.
Hannah-Jones daughter experienced inadequate instruction and assessment at P.S. 307
At P.S. 307, the principal was unresponsive, the third-grade teacher was frequently absent with no substitute, and the fourth-grade teacher never performed required reading assessments. Homework in writing and mathematics was never graded.
Washington D.C. schools demonstrate low proficiency rates in English and mathematics
Washington, D.C. spends more than $36,000 per student and only 39 percent have proficiency in English; only 28 percent are proficient in mathematics.
New York eliminated English literacy test for teachers
New York eliminated the English literacy test requirement for teachers because 56 percent of Hispanic teachers and 62 percent of Black teachers could not pass it.
International math proficiency report shows US ranking 27th among nations
A report released this week measuring the performance of 15-year-olds in mathematics around the world ranked China first and the United States at 27th place.
Nikole Hannah-Jones published essay reflecting on school choice decision for daughter
Author and activist Nikole Hannah-Jones published an essay in The New York Times Magazine titled 'In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?' in which she reflects on her decision to deliberately select a low-income, predominantly Black school for her daughter Najya to advance collective good rather than individual advantage. The essay explores the consequences of this choice and her daughter's subsequent unhappiness with the school.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
States Remove Core Academic Requirements, Sparking Standards Debate
Oregon and New York eliminate literacy requirements for students and teachers respectively.
US Schools Struggle with Academic Proficiency Across Major Districts
US schools show low academic proficiency rates across major districts and internationally.