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New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Test-tinkering: New York State lowered the bar for some students to pass 2025 reading, math exams
City officials are crowing over gains on the 2025 reading and math exams, but the state lowered the passing benchmarks for some students — raising questions about boasts of substantial academic progress, experts told The Post. The tests, given statewide to NYC public school kids in grades 3 through 8, required third graders to get just 57% of questions correct on the English Language Arts exam to pass, down from 60% last year. Fourth graders had to get 56% right, down from 65%, and 6th graders had to answer 57% correctly, down from 63%, according to a stunning analysis by the Times-Union. 4 State education commissioner Betty A. Rosa oversees the administration and scoring of annual state reading and math exams. AP The test-tinkering resulted in big improvements in NYC. Third-graders showed an 8.4 point increase in reading, with a whopping 63.6 % of students showing proficiency on the exam compared to 52.5% last year. On the math exam, the state lowered the proficiency bar — Level 3 — from 56% to 54% for 3rd-graders, and from 54% to 51% for 4th-graders, the Albany-based newspaper reported, based on available data. The tweaking occurred after test analysts found some questions on the 2025 exams more difficult than those on the 2024 exam, state education department spokeswoman Rachel Connors explained. 'If there is a greater or lesser number of difficult questions one year, the number of questions that must be answered correctly is adjusted,' she told the outlet. 'This helps ensure that all tests in a subject are equated — no test is harder or easier to pass from year to year.' Both ex-mayors Mike Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio have trumpeted ballooning test-score gains that later deflated. In the most scandalous example, Bloomberg, who was seeking a third term and pushing state lawmakers to extend mayoral control of schools, hailed a huge rise in test scores from 2006 to 2009 as an 'enormous victory.' 4 Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos touted state test score results as 'proof that initiatives like NYC Reads and NYC Solves' are working. James Messerschmidt But investigators later found that Richard Mills, then-state education commissioner, had instructed the company administering the tests to gradually lower the 'cut scores,' the minimum points kids needed to show proficiency. The latest revelation casts a cloud over the NYC test results, which Mayor Adams hailed as 'a testament to what's possible when we invest in our young people and believe in their potential.' Citywide, 56.3% of students met the proficiency level in ELA, up 7.2-percentage points from the 49.1% who passed in 2024, officials reported. In math, 56.9% of NYC students passed the math exam, up 3.5 percentage points from 53.4% in 2024, according to released data. Officials did not disclose any changes in the scoring. The state uses 'a really complicated statistical model' to determine whether some test questions are harder or easier for students than questions given the year before, said Aaron Pallas, a professor of education and sociology at Columbia University's Teachers College. 4 In NYC, about 58 percent of 3rd-graders showed reading proficiency, a nearly 13-point gain, but the state lowering the benchmark for passing, claiming the test was more difficult than last year. insta_photos – 'What the state is saying happened is that this year's test turned out to be slightly more difficult than expected, and that means that students didn't have to score as highly,' Pallas told The Post. Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos credited the city's 2024 overhaul of literacy and math curriculums for the test-score increases. 'The gains we're seeing are proof that initiatives like NYC Reads and NYC Solves are delivering for our children,' she said. Pallas isn't sold. 'I understand that you've got a mayor who's up for re-election and a chancellor who is tethered to him, so of course they want to claim that it's stuff that they did that is largely responsible. But I think it's a little too early to tell. I want to see next year's data before claiming victory for the curriculum.' 4 This chart shows proficiency on this year's reading and math exams. Tam Nguyen / NYPost Design David Bloomfield, a Brooklyn College and CUNY Grad Center education professor, agreed. 'While there's good news here, the city's celebrations should be more muted,' he said. 'Revelations that the state decreased some scores needed to show proficiency blurs the picture — especially for third and fourth graders who saw some of the greatest increases.' The state did not change the passing levels in ELA for fifth, seventh and eighth graders, the Times-Union analysis found. But in math, reaching proficiency was harder. Fifth-graders had to correctly answer 51% of the items, up from 48% in 2024. Seventh and 8th graders had to get 53% of the points, up from 50% and 49% respectively last year. Because the state revamped the standardized tests in 2023 due to new learning standards, it's impossible to gauge progress over prior years. Connors refused The Post's request for the 2025 cut scores, saying they will be released in a 'technical report' several months from now. 'We need the raw scores,' said Danyela Souza Egorov, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where she co-authored a recent report showing that NYC's 4th and 8th graders have for years performed below the state in reading and math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), considered the 'gold standard' and most reliable of standardized tests. It's unclear whether the scoring changes are the result of 'poor test writing or intentional number fudging,' she said. 'We just need more transparency so we can make sure that the public can trust the results being published.'
New York Post
12-08-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NYC schools are still failing to teach over 40% of kids — and it may soon get WORSE
Bad news: More than 40% of city kids in grades 3-8 failed math and English in this spring's state testing. Worse news: Most ideas on the table for the public-school system would only add to the failure. The city Department of Education opted to look on the bright side, pointing to small increases in proficiency of 7 points in reading and 3 in math — but that comes as the State Education Department is steadily watering down the exams. Advertisement Indeed, SED's hostility to standardized testing is also shown by the insanely delayed release of the results, which in past years came at the start of the summer, not the end. That said, the double-digit improvement in Grade 3 (12.9%) and 5 (15%) reading scores suggests that Mayor Eric Adams' NYC Reads reforms are having a positive impact after two years. But even these gains are imperiled, as the leading mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, seeks to end mayoral control and so hand de facto control of the schools to the United Federation of Teachers — whose only priorities are ever-growing pay and perks for its members, and gaining more members to collect dues from. Advertisement Because it's somehow coded as 'progressive,' Mamdani also openly intends to wage war on the city's charter schools — the very public schools that best deliver for the lower-income, minority children that fare worst in DOE schools. Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, polling second in the race, was once better on these issues — has now declared allegiance to the UFT and turned his back on charters: As we've said before, he'll betray anyone to serve his own interests. That 40% of schoolchildren in grades 3 through 8 can't earn a barely passing grade in math or English is the shame of a city. Parents should be furious. Politicians should be embarrassed. Advertisement This year's mayoral contest has so far offered not even token debate on improving public education, and now Mamdani's trying to make the race all about who can best fight President Donald Trump. He and Cuomo are in a race to see who hates President Trump more. New York's children matter a lot more to the city's future; here's hoping the candidates don't keep getting away with ignoring their needs.
New York Post
11-08-2025
- General
- New York Post
NYC students make gains in standardized tests — but 40% still failed reading and math
More than 40% of grammar school students in the city failed the state's standardized math and reading texts this year — but officials praised some gains in the results released Monday. More city public school in grades 3-8 passed the proficiency tests this year for English Language Arts and math than they did last year though critics contended those are small victories as the Big Apple's school spending tops $41 billion and the state's $36,293 per pupil tab is the highest in the nation. Some 56.3% of students met the proficiency standards for ELA, up 7.2-percentage points from the 49.1% who passed in 2024, according to the data. 3 More than 40% of New York City public elementary school students in grades 308 failed teh state's standardized math and reading tests this year. mehmet – Students making the grade in math bumped up 3.5-percentage points since 2024, from 53.4% to 56.9%, according to the figures. Both pass percentages outpaced the state average while city reading and math scores increased across all grades. The largest gains were in Grade 3, which saw ELA increase by 12.9 percentage points, and Grade 6, which jumped 15 points, the figures showed. 'It's a positive that everything got better,' said Danyela Souza, an education research fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a policy think tank. 'It seems there's real progress in reading, particularly in grades 3 and 5. That's huge gains we're seeing, She praised the phonics-knowledge based NYC Reads curriculum. But Souza said it's hard to tell if students have recovered from learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic because the cut-off scores to pass have been lowered. 'It's easier now to pass than five years ago,' she said. 3 Mayor Adams said the progress is a result of the 'NYC Reads' and 'NYC Solves' programs. Stephen Yang for the New York Post The city's gains mirror the ELA proficiency pass rate for all grade 3-to-8 students statewide, which jumped from 46% to 53% over the past year. The pass rate for math increased from 52% to 55%, according to the numbers. Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election this fall applauded the results, claiming the new phonics-based 'NYC Reads' programs and 'NYC Solves' math curriculum instituted during their tenure have contributed to student gains. 'These academic gains in English Language Arts and math are a testament to what's possible when we invest in our young people and believe in their potential, and we are proud of our students, teachers, and the entire school community,' Adams said. Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos said the results showed 'kids rise to the occasion' when administrators set high expectations and provide educators the proper tools. 'We are closing gaps, raising achievement in every borough, and making sure more students than ever are on track for long-term success,' Aviles-Ramos said. 'This is what happens when we stay focused on evidence-based instruction and never lose sight of what's possible for our young people.' But yawning racial/ethnic disparities in academic results persist. For example, 75% of Asian and 73% of white students were proficient in English, compared to 47% of black students and 43.5% of Hispanic students, according to the numbers. 3 NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said the results show that more students are on track for 'long-term success.' James Messerschmidt In math, 80.8% of Asian students and 75% of white students were proficient compared to 43% of both black and Hispanic students. Critics have also said it's difficult to determine where New York students stand compared to kids elsewhere. A better indicator may be results of the 'Nation's Report Card' — National Assessment of Educational Progress — which includes scores from students from all over the country. New York students performed dismally on those exams, with results released earlier this year showing two-thirds of fourth graders in the city weren't proficient in math or reading. A state Education Department spokesperson insisted 'no test is harder or easier to pass from year to year' and that the scaling method used is based on the difficulty of questions on a particular test.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NYC students beginning to show signs of reading progress, new data shows
New York City students are showing early signs of progress in reading after the Adams administration overhauled how the subject is taught in public schools, according to new data released Wednesday. The school system is still far from where it needs to be to ensure that all students who graduate know how to read proficiently. But elementary school reading scores on quick, periodic assessments known as 'screeners' increased by 2.5 points over a year — driven in part by considerable gains in the youngest grades, the data shows. 'It's really, really promising news, because what it's showing is progress,' First Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg told the Daily News. 'So the hard work that our educators and support staff are doing on the field, you can see here, is really paying off.' Some experts caution against drawing sweeping conclusions from screener data, which is captured three times each year and typically used as a diagnostic tool to help identify struggling readers so teachers can intervene in real-time. But Weisberg, the outgoing second-in-command of the public schools, said the data is 'highly correlated' with state test scores, and offers system leaders a glimpse of whether students are performing at or above the national median. Close to 42% of elementary school students crossed the threshold on the spring screener, the data showed. The literacy push, known as 'NYC Reads,' launched in less than half of school districts during the 2023-24 school year before expanding to all elementary schools citywide last fall. Each district selected one of three pre-approved literacy programs rooted in the 'science of reading' — referring to a wide body of research about how children learn to read. All place a greater emphasis on phonics, which teaches children about the relationships between letters and sounds. Screener scores from phase-one districts — which have had more time for implementation — posted slightly larger gains than those in the second cohort: 2.8 and 2.3 points, respectively. Students in kindergarten through second grade, who were exposed to the curriculum at a younger age, notched a 3.2-point boost, according to the data. While not unexpected in a school system as large as New York City's, test scores have been slow to catch up. Annual state exams showed reading scores dropped citywide last year — with students in the second phase outperforming their peers in the first cohort using the new literacy programs. Education leaders chalked up the discrepancy to an 'implementation dip,' predicting students would turn a corner as they adjusted to the new ways of learning and their teachers mastered new instructional methods. The results of this year's tests have yet to be released, but Weisberg likes his chances. 'That doesn't mean that just because screener scores increase, that state test scores are going to increase, but it's a promising sign,' the first deputy chancellor said. In April, Adams and the chancellor announced NYC Reads is expanding next school year to older students for the first time, starting with 102 middle schools in eight districts. 'As we close out this school year, we are proud to be able to share early results on our citywide investment in evidence-based reading and mathematics instruction for our students — delivering the education our children deserve,' Mayor Adams and Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said in a joint statement. Math screener scores show the share of elementary school students scoring above national benchmarks increased by 3.2 points, though the grade levels are not formally included in 'NYC Solves,' the math equivalent of NYC Reads.
New York Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NYC should look to the Mississippi Miracle to learn how to teach reading
If you're a parent of a young reader, would you rather start off in Manhattan or Mississippi? The answer may surprise you. Today, fourth-grade students in Mississippi read almost a full school year ahead of their peers in New York City, according to national test scores. Advertisement It wasn't always this way. In the early 2000s, Mississippi students trailed New York City by half a year. Now students in the Magnolia State read above the national average. Advertisement Mississippi isn't alone: Other high-poverty Southern states have made major gains. These dynamics are part of a post-pandemic shift of red states overtaking blue ones academically. Here's another way of understanding these data: About 31,000 New York City fourth-graders scored at the Below Basic level last year. Advertisement These students struggle to interpret the main character's actions in 'The Tale of Desperaux,' a classic story of a mouse on a quest to rescue a beautiful princess. In this summer's primary election, New Yorkers will effectively choose their next mayor, and the stakes couldn't be higher for Gotham's aspiring readers. Here are three things that the city's next mayor should learn from Mississippi and other Southern states about improving literacy. A general view of school children pictured leaving school on the last day of school before summer vacation on June 18, 2024. Christopher Sadowski Advertisement First, be honest and support struggling readers. While 90% of New York parents think their child reads at or above grade level, only 45% actually do. Mississippi doesn't have this kind of honesty gap. The state sends written notice to parents when children are at risk of being held back and requires schools to create Individualized Reading Plans. These plans include targeted interventions and progress monitoring. Schools also offer summer reading camps with small-group support. Line chart shows reading levels of fourth graders in Mississippi, US, and New York from 2003 to 2024. Mike Guillen/NY Post Design Second, empower educators. Through no fault of their own, teachers around the United States are not well-trained in how to teach reading. Of the 16 teacher-prep programs in New York City, 12 earn a D or F from the latest National Council on Teacher Quality reviews. Advertisement After passing a comprehensive literacy bill in 2013, Mississippi funded a two-year course in evidence-based reading methods for all elementary teachers. The state teachers' association supported the change. NYC could offer salary bonuses for completely similar training. Skeptical of adopting a 'red state' reform? Advertisement Research shows that intensive literacy coaching improved outcomes at scale in California. These investments deliver more bang for the buck than just increasing spending. Under the current mayor, the NYC Reads initiative ended Columbia Teachers College's 'balanced literacy' program, which had been the main approach in city schools for 30 years, and replaced it with three evidence-based programs. Advertisement Two — EL Education and Wit & Wisdom — emphasize nonfiction and reading whole novels, a rarity in an age of rampant screen time. While teachers have been offered some professional learning opportunities, implementation has been uneven. Teachers need more time and support to unlearn what they thought for three decades was the right approach for kids. In the old Teachers College model, fourth-graders reading at a second-grade level were given easy, 'just right' books. Advertisement But research shows this doesn't build vocabulary or background knowledge. As Tim Shanahan of the University of Illinois-Chicago wrote, 'If students are working with texts that they can already read quite well . . . there is little opportunity for learning.' The new curriculum rightly demands grade-level texts, but learning new ways to support students takes time. As Robert Pondiscio wrote in these pages last month, 'If we're serious about raising literacy rates, we need to sustain this effort across years, mayors and chancellors.' Finally, set difficult but achievable goals. In 2013, Mississippi's governor set a clear reading goal — one his successor continues to prioritize. No other governor or mayor does this. Former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently noted, 'There are no education goals for the country.' With 70% of NYC jobs expected to require some college, the next mayor could set a 2% to 3% annual literacy-growth goal. Over a decade, that would give students a real shot at success. Mississippi's growth has been called a miracle, but that term implies supernatural causes. The state's gains have been made by leaders and teachers implementing a well-designed strategy for a decade. They also know much work remains to see the same rate of growth in eighth-grade scores. New Yorkers take pride in having the best of everything — and often, they do have the best. But when it comes to teaching reading, it's time for humility, and time to learn from those who are doing better. David Scarlett Wakelyn is a former New York Deputy Secretary for Education and a consultant at Upswing Labs. Michael Hartney is the Bruni Family Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and an associate professor of political science at Boston College.
