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For Paula Dinh, the path to graduation has been a long one, with times when she questioned her ability — and desire — to finish high school.

State education commissioner John King is pushing for a more civil debate around education policy.

New York City's Department of Education is altering the process to promote or hold back students, adding classroom work and grades to the mix so it's not just tied to standardized test scores.

There are so many new rules and initiatives tucked into the 2014-15 state budget it's easy to miss some. Here are five education issues we're keeping an eye on.

High school students crave sleep, but many just don't get enough of it. One Queens principal is tweaking homework schedules and school start times to help kids catch up on rest.

Yes, statewide testing for grades 3-8 starts tomorrow. But no, it's not the end of the world. Here's some good news about the future of mind-numbing test prep and the state of the opt-out movement.

New York City is already making efforts to find and recruit 1,000 new pre-k teachers for this fall. Actually hiring them remains contingent on budget negotiations in Albany.

The second year of state tests aligned to the Common Core learning standards begin next week. State education officials emphasize that progress will come slowly.

At West Brooklyn Community High School in New York City, the focus is on getting chronically truant students back on track by surrounding them with adults who care about their success. WNYC reporter Yasmeen Khan, has been following the path of one West Brooklyn student named Paula. Paula began her journey as an angry, difficult freshman with a habit of cutting class. But after transferring to West Brooklyn her attitude began to change.

High school students who are chronically absent can get another chance. WNYC's The Takeaway explores how intensive social-emotional supports at one NYC high school pay off for many students who might otherwise drop out.

Legislative leaders in Albany appear to agree that Mayor Bill de Blasio won't get his tax plan to fund pre-kindergarten and after-school programs, but that he should get all of the money he was asking for.

The city's teachers union has released its own grim analysis of teacher attrition rates in New York City, possibly a move to position itself for contract negotiations with Mayor Bill de Blasio.

New York City eighth graders are receiving word about their high school matches, news that can bring a mix of anxiety, dread, disappointment and joy.

With the mayor and city council speaker both supporting a ban on the city's horse-drawn carriages, several council members paid a visit to the Clinton Park Horse Stable in Manhattan to see conditions with their own eyes.

As the battle over how to fund an expansion of pre-kindergarten goes on, city education officials are busy behind the scenes getting ready for more pre-k classes by September.

Full-day pre-k for all may be on the horizon. But for now, in many neighborhoods competition is fierce for a pre-k seat in one of the local public schools.

It may be walking the beat as a auxiliary police officer, or working at a car dealership. Some students find working in "real" jobs that interest them, and getting paid, makes high school worthwhile.

De Blasio tries to recast the conversation.

Dozens of new or expanded schools got the all-clear to open this fall but a handful of others saw their plans dashed, as the city navigated its way through a thicket of proposals left by the Bloomberg administration.

In a reproach to the Bloomberg administration, the DOE said it is trying to better engage communities about school changes, saying parents and educators were previously cut out of the decision-making process.