Chancellor David Banks delivers a lackluster ‘school update’ address
In his recent “State of Our Schools” address, Chancellor David Banks appeared to lack seriousness in addressing the needs of the city’s students.
During his lengthy speech, he only mentioned two metrics: 1) 1,000 schools participating in a climate-change program, and 2) registering 85,000 high schoolers and adults to vote in November, with no mention of academic achievements such as test scores, proficiency rates, or truancy rates.
He failed to address the effectiveness of initiatives like NYC Reads and NYC Solves in improving literacy and math skills in public-school students, instead opting for vague statements about the importance of public schools and graduates being agents of change.
He introduced several new initiatives like an accelerated-college-prep high school, free tele-therapy for teens, and virtual after-school coursework, while advocating for the elimination of standardized testing in favor of AI-generated assessments.
While his vision of AI providing personalized learning plans is ambitious, the practicality of its implementation remains uncertain.
Banks concluded his speech by having the audience recite the poem “Invictus” as a lesson in resilience, raising questions about his own ability to navigate the challenges within the education system.
After taking over the school system with promises of reducing bureaucracy, Banks’ lack of focus on key educational issues raises concerns about his effectiveness as a leader.
