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New analysis from leading education reform organization StudentsFirstNY reveals Mayor de Blasio’s signature programs are not improving schools and that NYC public schools are perpetuating inequality. 

9 out of 10 Students Not Being Taught to Read and Do Math at Renewal and Community Schools

New analysis from leading education reform organization StudentsFirstNY reveals Mayor de Blasio’s signature programs are not improving schools and that NYC public schools are perpetuating inequality. 

The most troubling findings come from Mayor de Blasio’s Renewal Schools, where every one of the 63 Renewal Schools with grades 3-8 had more than 75 percent of students failing exams, despite the investment of the administration. Nearly all of Mayor de Blasio’s Community Schools also had more than 75 percent failing exams. In fact, the Mayor’s Community Schools and Renewal Schools fared far worse even than other failing schools: the average pass rates were in the single digits.

“This new analysis reveals that Mayor de Blasio’s signature education programs are failing to produce results,” said StudentsFirstNY’s Executive Director Jenny Sedlis. “When 9 out of 10 students are not being effectively taught to read and do math at the schools given the most attention by the de Blasio administration, something has got to change.” 

Other troubling findings in the report include: 

• 87 schools actually saw a decline of at least 25 percent in ELA proficiency from 2014.

• 119 schools actually saw a decline of at least 25 percent in math proficiency from 2014.

• 61 schools deemed high quality based on the 2014 School Quality Reports have astronomical rates of failure on ELA, 34 schools deemed high quality had high failure rates on the math state exams.

• The number of schools with zero percent passing in entire grades increased. There were 48 schools where for two years in a row, there was zero percent passing in entire grades.

• The poorest performing schools are concentrated in low income communities in the Bronx and Brooklyn:

“Right now, New York City public schools are perpetuating inequality and preventing low-income students from having access to opportunity. This will be the third school year under Mayor de Blasio’s watch and parents expect to see change on a magnitude far beyond what they’re seeing now,” said Sedlis. 

You can read the full report here.