Chalkbeat's journalism is made possible by our sponsors.
Interested in becoming one? Reach out here.

Good morning! Alex here.

Beginning this school year, teachers in overcrowded classrooms may be eligible for an $8,500 pay bump. According to union officials, the bonuses are designed to deter the Education Department from sidestepping the state’s class size caps.

But months after the pay bumps were announced, there are few details about which teachers will actually receive them. And some experts worry that the money may disproportionately go to teachers at more affluent schools. Read more in today’s top story.

And one last thing: We’re running a back-to-school membership campaign to invite readers who value Chalkbeat’s reporting to help sustain it. If our journalism helps you understand what’s happening in schools and why it matters, consider becoming a member today so our reporters can do this work all year long. Support Chalkbeat.

A new school year needs strong local reporting. Help Chalkbeat’s reporters keep asking the questions that matter.

English-Only Classrooms, Spending Cuts: How Federal Changes to Head Start Could Impact Kids in NY, City Limits

There’s a Way to Gauge Childhood Development. Why Isn’t It Used More? New York Times

NYC schools rack up disturbing 250 antisemitic, anti-Israel incidents since Oct. 7, 2023, New York Post

New York City parents say they’ve prepped all year and shop smart to make back to school shopping affordable, amNY

Staten Island’s Best Dressed: Twin sisters celebrate their retirement from DOE in ’80s-themed style, Staten Island Advance (Paywall)