For Immediate Release
Jun 23, 2008 6:41 PM
City math scores were up 9 points and English Language Arts rose nearly 7 points on the 2008 state standardized tests announced on June 23. For the first time, almost 75 percent of city students meet the state math standards, while 57.6 percent of students meet state standards in English. The city’s one-year gains in both English and math were greater than those of the rest of the state at every grade level except one.
Every grade in the city showed improvement, while the performance gaps between whites and African-Americans, whites and Latinos, English Language Learners and English-proficient students and special education and general education students all narrowed.
The performance gap between the city and the rest of the state also narrowed, with city schools increasing their percentages of students meeting standards at a faster pace than schools around the state on average. In many cases, the city’s middle schools had gains as strong or stronger than the elementary schools, especially in math. This helped reverse a longstanding trend of score declines as students went through middle school.
Go here to view the full city results.
Select English Language Arts (ELA) or Mathematics under Test Results
Go here to view the state education commissioner’s report on the scores.
UFT President Randi Weingarten and Council of School Supervisors and Administrators President Ernest Logan appeared with Mayor Bloomberg at PS 175 in Harlem for the announcement of the results.
There is a lot of good news in these test scores for everyone involved in public education.
Let me begin by congratulating the students and their families. They should be proud because the scores show that children are working hard to improve and excel in school. Such improvement doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Students’ hard work in school is usually bolstered by active parental involvement and support at home. So kids, as well as their parents and guardians, should feel good about these results.
And let me say I am particularly proud of this city’s teachers and other educators whose skill and hard work are reflected in these scores. The most important interaction in education is the one between a teacher and a student in the classroom. These test scores show that teachers are finding ways to help make a difference every day for our one million students.
Given the variability of testing, we must wait to see if this improvement trend is also reflected in the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP scores. Even so, the entire city should be very proud of this accomplishment because these scores show we are moving in the right direction.
I’m also pleased to note that the test scores reflect the productive collaboration of teachers, other educators and principals who pulled together and went the extra mile to help students achieve these impressive gains. The team effort we all championed at the beginning of the school year, and is reflected in some of the accountability metrics, is really paying off, and that should encourage all of us to continue working together for the benefit of our students.
Equally important, the scores show that the unprecedented investments made in the school system, particularly over the past several years, have borne tremendous fruit in the form of real and sustainable academic gains.
A 43 percent increase in salaries has helped New York City develop and maintain a high quality teaching force, one of the best we’ve had in decades. That effort has been aided by other incentives such as the 55/25 retirement provision and a new five-year longevity raise, which will help with recruitment and retention. Hiring certified teachers, pushing for smaller class sizes, allowing time for instructional programs, academic intervention and small-group tutoring of students, as well as the UFT Teacher Centers and professional development and mentoring for teachers, are making a big difference, too. It also helps to have up-to-date textbooks, equipment, supplies and other teaching materials.
These test scores show that the investments we make in education now can produce benefits for years to come, so it is imperative that we maintain them. That’s why we have fought so hard to have the city and the state keep their budget promises to children.
We see quite clearly what we can achieve when our schools get the resources they need. Now, when our kids are doing so well and are striving to do even better, is not the time to pull the rug from under them by cutting school budgets. We hope these test scores will help convince our elected leaders at City Hall that they should adequately fund our school system in spite of a troubled economy, just as the state has done.
There should be no doubt about the wisdom of keeping that promise. Just look at what we can achieve when our schools get the resources they need:
The 9-point gain in math scores this year, which is higher than in the rest of the state, is very encouraging because it also appears to reflect teachers’ mastery of the Every Day and Impact math curriculums. Teachers have had several years now to use what many believe to be a strong, comprehensive and cohesive math curriculum, and the professional development associated with it has been particularly good.
The average 7-point gain in English Language Arts scores also reflects tremendous teacher skill-building, although we would urge a mid-course review of the balanced literacy curriculum. Younger students might need more direct instruction in reading skills. Regarding the higher grades, we know there are limits to what can be gained from a curriculum so focused on test preparation. Fluency, comprehension, analytical skills, advanced grammar and writing cannot be taught by drills alone. And we need to rethink how to unlock the love of reading.
It’s great news that we’ve been able to narrow the achievement gap by focusing intently on the performance of minority and special education students as well as English Language Learners. Services to special education students are still insufficient, yet they gained nearly 19 points in math and 8 points in English Language Arts over a two-year period. Imagine what they could do if they received all of their mandated services!
All in all, this is a great day for New Yorkers from the Mayor and Chancellor to teachers, educators, parents, and most important, our kids.
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