State of Our Schools: Several parents express concern, confusion over NYC’s Summer Rising program

Several parents in the Bronx are voicing confusion over the city’s newly announced summer school program.

News 12 Staff

Jun 16, 2021, 11:35 PM

Updated 1,289 days ago

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Several parents in the Bronx are voicing confusion over the city’s newly announced summer school program.
Sarah Nasson has four daughters who are all in elementary school. She and her husband also work full-time.
Nasson tells News 12 that when she heard about the Department of Education’s Summer Rising program, she felt excited to have a free option where her children could continue learning while she worked.
However, obtaining a slot wasn’t so simple. Nasson’s children were put on a waitlist due to high demand.
"I've been in a bit of a panic because we're now less than two weeks from when the program was supposed to start. School… ends next Friday,” says Nasson.
Other parents voiced their frustrations about being waitlisted on Twitter.
One parent says the Department of Education put her son on a waitlist and she has no idea what to do because their family really needed the program.
Another parent tweeted, “I applied to my son’s school on the first day of application and was waitlisted. All the schools within my son’s reach are waitlisted.”
Instead of waiting, Nasson began researching summer programs as a last resort despite the high costs.
"We had looked into summer camps and things...and when we're looking at thousands and thousands of dollars a month, my husband and I were discussing and it's like...I might have to leave my job,” says the mother of four.
News 12 was told the Summer Rising program was able to accept all of Nasson’s daughters, and she understands that it’s a new program that may experience “some growing pains.”
According to the Department of Education, “Every family who is interested will have a seat.” A representative also tells News 12 all families will receive an application status update by the end of the week, and programs were added on an ongoing basis since late April.