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Parent Members Challenge Mayor de Blasio to Fix Zero Pass Rate Crisis

StudentsFirstNY released a new analysis today showing that at 75 New York City district schools, not a single student in a grade passed the state math or ELA test.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that schools had a zero percent pass rate in reading or math in an entire grade, and that in 13 schools there were three or more instances of zero pass rates,” StudentsFirstNY Director of Organizing Tenicka Boyd said.  

“So far, the only action this Mayor has taken to address this crisis is to reduce instructional time and send 1,100 ineffective teachers back into classrooms. Parents in these communities are upset and they want to know what Mayor Bill de Blasio is going to do to help fix their failing schools. A sunny press conference and handouts to special interests aren't going to be enough this time,” Boyd said.

The new analysis prompted outrage among StudentsFirstNY parent members with children who attend these zero percent schools.

"It was bad enough to hear that they are cutting learning time while keeping ineffective teachers in the classroom, but worse is learning that my daughter is in a failing school, and failing at a such an important subject like English,” said Jean Holybrice whose daughter attends PS 67 in Fort Greene where not a single third grader passed the ELA exam. “It’s disappointing that our Mayor doesn’t seem to care about improving education for children like mine.”

“It was shocking to learn that my daughter is sitting in a school where not a single seventh grader passed this year's math test,” said Alicia Rodriguez whose daughter attended PS 50 in Harlem last year. “How can my daughter grow up to be successful if the Mayor and Chancellor continue to turn their backs on policies that help our kids?”

The analysis also showed that two New York City charter schools had zero pass rates in eighth grade math. These schools require close attention from their authorizers.

Background and Analysis

In the just-released school test data, there were 75 New York City district schools and two charter schools at which not a single student in a grade passed the state math or ELA test.  Below are district school breakouts by borough, top neighborhoods and schools that had 3 or more subjects/grades in which 0% of their students passed the test.

To view the full list of the 75 district schools and two charter schools, click here.

Zero % District Schools by Borough

Neighborhoods with the Most Zero % District Schools

More Grades/Subject where 0% of Students Passed the Test