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Good morning. Alex here with Chalkbeat New York.

Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, NYC educators face a unique challenge: teaching about this major event to students born long after it happened. We spoke with three teachers about how they balance personal memory, age-appropriate lessons, and historical context as a new school year begins.

Meanwhile, federal health officials are launching a $50 million effort to study a long-overlooked group: thousands of children, teens, and young adults — as well as those in utero on 9/11 — who were exposed to toxic dust near Ground Zero. Our friends at Healthbeat have the latest.

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Local News

25 years later, teaching 9/11: How NYC educators navigate the anniversary

NYC educators reflect on their 9/11 memories and share how they teach students about the historic tragedy 25 years later, as the anniversary falls on the second day of school.

Federal program wants to study young people whose health was affected by the 9/11 attacks

WTC Health Program wants to examine the health impacts of 9/11 on people who were young New Yorkers at the time and were near Ground Zero. DOUG KANTER

Cost savings, first-day jitters, payment delays: NYC launches 2-K for 2,000 toddlers

Parents said the new, free childcare program for 2-year-olds would provide critical financial help. But providers said payment challenges were still lingering.

NYC back to school: New AI and screen time limits give parents relief

As the new school year begins, NYC’s moratorium on classroom AI and strict screen time limits for young children give parents a much-needed tool to manage screen time at home.

As NYC schools open, 5 big questions about Mamdani’s education agenda

As NYC schools open, Mamdani faces major questions about falling enrollment, special education, school technology, and the shape of his broader K-12 agenda.

Around Chalkbeat

Chicago school board looks at possible preschool expansion, despite opposition from district leadership

Board member Anusha Thotakura introduced a resolution Thursday calling on the district to study how its current early childhood offerings are working and make recommendations. Superintendent Macquline King voiced strong opposition.