Overview:
The school system is failing students by prioritizing rigorous academics, excessive screen time, and tests over developmental needs, play, and teacher input, encouraging changes that focus on children’s growth and well-being.
I have worked for the New York City Department of Education since 2005. I started as a high school teaching assistant, became a college teaching assistant, substitute teacher for six years, and have now taught full time as a special education teacher for the past eleven years. In all of these roles, one truth has remained constant: our school system is broken.
I became a teacher to help children. I love working with them, and they respond well because I put their needs first. But our system doesn’t prioritize students or what they really need to learn and grow. If we are serious about improving outcomes, policy makers and district leaders must face this reality.
Over the years, the system has changed. Some changes are positive: we are inclusive, we recognize a wide range of disabilities, and we have laws that protect students’ rights. However, the negative changes outweigh the positive. Student absenteeism is high. Many students are not meeting grade level expectations in reading or math. Teachers are overworked, under-supported, and under-managed. Why is this happening?
One of the main reasons is that we fail to recognize the developmental needs of children. Anyone who studies child development can see the disparity between how young children learn and how our schools operate. A five year old should not sit at a desk for five hours a day working on reading or math. Children under seven learn best through play, movement, exploration, and conversation. Research shows that play-based learning strengthens language development, performance, and social-emotional development. If academic instruction becomes too prescriptive early on, it can undermine engagement and long-term success rather than acceleration.
Why aren’t vocabulary, early literacy, shapes, and number sense embedded in meaningful play? Why do early childhood classrooms look more like test prep centers than learning labs? By 2023, New York City is reported to have invested $35 million in training and curriculum implementation. Imagine if even half of that funding was directed toward developmentally appropriate play-based models.
We must also look outside. Countries with strong academic performance and high student welfare prioritize foreign learning, formal academics later, and teacher autonomy. For example, Finland starts formal schooling at age seven, emphasizes play and outdoor learning in the early years, and gives teachers significant autonomy (practices linked to both strong academic outcomes and student well-being). We can adapt to what works without sacrificing durability.
Another flaw in the system is the exclusion of teachers from making critical decisions. The teachers are the best. We see what students need: movement breaks, hands-on lessons, and social emotional support. Yet policies are often shaped by people who are far removed from everyday classroom realities, especially in special education settings. If we want progress, we must trust teachers as professionals. Most of us did not choose this job to earn a salary; we chose it for the children.
Technology is another area where the balance is lost. Sitting a child on a machine for hours a day is not helpful. In recent budget discussions, the City allocated $5 million for digital learning resources, including online programs and software. Technology should be limited and purposeful. Between tests, online programs, and district mandates, kids are on screens for most of the school day. Research shows that children who spend two to three hours or more on screens daily are at greater risk of behavioral problems, developmental delays, and poor language outcomes than those who spend less than one hour.
Almost all testing is now digital. In the past three weeks alone, I’ve done two MAP tests, one Datamate test, and one mock scenario test. Each one took about two days to complete. That’s eight days of lost teaching time in just three weeks. How does this help our students?
If we really want change, we have to take strong action. Minimize unnecessary and inappropriate assessment in early grade development. Requires protected blocks of play-based and outdoor learning in Pre-K through 2nd grade. Establish teacher input at the district level so classroom teachers can help shape policy decisions. Create clear, age-appropriate guidelines for daily screen use in elementary schools.
I am writing this in the hope of change. Policy makers and district leaders in New York City need to start putting students first. Children deserve a curriculum that matches their developmental needs, schools that keep them healthy, engaged, and safe, and less screen time and more play time.
It’s time for policy makers and district leaders to stop forcing children to conform to the program and start creating a program that truly works for children.
