Beth Fertig

After testing the drinking water in more than 1,500 school buildings, New York City said children and families have no reason to fear elevated levels of lead.

After a week of violence and soul-searching over the national state of police and community relations, Brooklyn clergy called for unity at a candlelight vigil with police.

Congregants at Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens reflected on a violent week, as they thought about the loss of police officer Rafael Ramos. He was gunned down in late 2014.

Providers of home-based child care are having a hard time keeping up with New York City rules that may be intended to improve care but instead are forcing some centers to close.

Community schools that lost state grants at the end of June will receive extra money from New York City in order to maintain their services for adults and kids.

WNYC has been following efforts to improve M.S. 22 in the South Bronx. Here's the story of how a few involved moms managed to lure more of their peers into the middle school.

In New York City, 43 percent of public school students are black, Latino and Asian boys. Yet, less than 9 percent of the teachers are men of color. The city is trying to change that.

School's out! Here is a look at some of the big news stories from the 2015-6 school year in New York City. 

A Bronx middle school that's trying to turn around its academic performance is giving kids tools to help themselves. 

Michael Wiltshire served as principal of both Boys and Girls, a struggling school, and Medgar Evers Prep, a high-performing one. He will stay on as leader of Medgar Evers.

He played a fake correspondent on "The Daily Show." Now, Jason Jones has words of caution for his fellow parents about the media, as they debate their Upper West Side school's future.

Twelve schools that are part of a program favored by Mayor Bill de Blasio could lose their funds if the city doesn't juggle state money on time.

The new rules take effect this month, in time for students preparing to graduate high school.

In some high schools, if you eat in the cafeteria it suggests you're too poor to eat off campus. One New York City teen is looking for a way to give all kids more lunch options. 

Talk of moving an Upper West Side elementary school has ignited another fury over the best way to handle overcrowding and to promote diversity.  

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara claims New York City failed to respond properly after staff at a Queens high school accused their principal of racism and retaliation.

We talked to a lot of New Yorkers about their ideas on how to integrate the city's public schools. Here's what we learned, including one key takeaway: It's complicated. 

New York City will invest in tutoring and support to attract more black and Latino kids to the city's elite high schools, and leave the single-test admissions process intact.

In New York City, most black and Latino students attend school with very few white and Asian students. One charter school wanted do things differently — it's working, most of the time.

Most of the debate over desegregating the city's public schools involves parents, school officials and politicians. These three high school students have some ideas, too.