Hispanic Heritage Month Highlight: The Mendez Family's Fight Against School Segregation
September 15–October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month! To celebrate, we're sharing the story of Sylvia Mendez and her family, who led a groundbreaking legal fight to end school segregation in California. Their case, Mendez v. Westminster, helped pave the way for Brown v. Board of Education and showed how courage, community, and determination can spark lasting change in the fight for educational equality.
Stand Up for Kindness During National Bullying Prevention Month
Throughout October, NYC schools and families are celebrating National Bullying Prevention Month. Join NYCPS as we choose "Kindness over Bullies" together and help build safe and supportive school communities across the five boroughs!
Apply to High School for the 2027–28 School Year
From October 6 until December 4, 2026, NYC families can apply to high school for the 2027–28 school year. Learn more about this year's admissions processes, including suggested tips and tools that you can use to discover and select programs, and submit your application!
The Month Ahead (October 2026)
Listen up ghouls and gals, October at NYCPS is full of treats. Don't get tricked into missing out on any of them!
Opportunities for Students (October 2026)
With the first full month of the fall season now underway, now is the perfect time to check out some of the various learning opportunities available for NYCPS students. Check out which opportunities are available for NYC public school students in October 2026!
Keep Track of Your Child's Progress with NYCSA
Learn how an NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) can help you access your child's grades and transportation information, update important forms, explore exclusive online learning opportunities, stay connected with your local parent leader groups, and more!
NYC Schools to Remain Distraction-Free in 2026–27
For the second year in a row, NYC Public Schools will be enforcing its new Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy across all K–12 City public schools, including charter programs, in accordance with New York State law. Learn more about this policy, and let's all do our part to keep our schools free of screen-based distractions!
Previewing the Year Ahead (2026–27 School Year)
See what's in store for NYC Public Schools for the entire 2026–27 school year, courtesy of our official 2026–27 School Calendar, and get set for the year ahead!
September 15–October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month! To celebrate, we encourage you to check out a book that features Hispanic and Latino history, individuals, and experiences at the forefront.
These recommendations feature a variety of cultural backgrounds, fiction and nonfiction genres, and unique perspectives for students of all ages. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Early Readers (3-K–Grade 2)
- Anita and the Dragons, by Hannah Carmona; illustrated by Anna Cunha
- The Coquíes Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding, by Karina Nicole Gonzalez; illustrated by Krystal Quiles
- Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln, by Margarita Engle; illustrated by Rafael López
- Gustavo, the Shy Ghost, by Flavia Z. Drago
- Mango, Abuela, and Me, by Meg Medina; illustrated by Angela Dominguez
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Cuba in My Pocket, by Adrianna Cuevas
- Ghost Squad, by Claribel A. Ortega
- I Lived On Butterfly Hill, by Marjorie Agosin; illustrated by Jee White
- Lupe Wong Won't Dance, by Donna Barba Higuera
- Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and her Family's Fight for Desegregation, by Duncan Tonatiuh
- Our Government Works for YOU, by Elenor Roosevelt with Michelle Markel; illustrated by Grace Lin
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Before We Were Free, by Julia Alvarez
- The Bluest Sky, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
- The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros
- The Insiders, by Mark Oshiro
- Iveliz Explains It All, by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, by Jennifer De Leon
- Furia, by Yamile Saied Mendez
- The Grief Keeper, by Alexandra Villasante
- When We Make It, by Elisabet Velasquez
- Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora, edited by Saraciea J. Fennell
You can find these books and many more great reads on Sora, our Citywide Digital Library, which provides free access to thousands of digital e-books and audiobooks for our students. You can also find even more recommendations in the Hispanic Heritage Month Collection on Sora!
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
The first week of the 2026–27 school year was certainly one for the books! From the debut of our City's new 2-K program, the implementation of our guidelines concerning the use of student-facing generative artificial intelligence, and the grand opening of the world's first-ever non-charter high school dedicated to hip hop, NYC Public Schools are already making plenty of history—and we're not even done with September!
Check out some of our photos from the first days of the new school year—and join us in welcoming everyone back to school!
2026–27 NYCPS Calendar Now Available
The official New York City Public Schools calendar for the 2026–2027 school year is now available! Learn more about next year's calendar, and start making your plans for the upcoming school year TODAY!
Ready to Read: Literacy Resources for Families
NYC Reads is reshaping the way that we teach our students to read, but the learning doesn't have to stop at the classroom door! Whether it's a family book club or a phonics-based 20 questions game, you can bring the "science of reading" home by using any of our helpful resources that will help your children continue to develop their literacy skills, like:
- Reading Games
- Phonics, Vocabulary, and Storytelling Practice
- And more!
