NYC public school students advance in math, but fall behind in reading

Grass good and bad news about public school student achievement of the City of New York in the 2023-2024 school year. In summary: They showed much better performance in maths, but regressed in reading scores. This is confirmed by the state achievement tests published a few days ago.

According to the data, if the different ethnic groups are compared in these dimensions, although they all had a decline in reading comprehension, Hispanics again did worse: 36.4% of these students, from 3rd to 8th grade, able to read, which represents a change so far +39.4% compared to yesterday. The proficiency rate of white and Asian students is over 66%.

Students at Big Apple schools increased 3.5 points in mathematics compared to the previous yeargoing from 49.9% competition in 2023 to 53.4% ​​in 2024.

In contrast, New York State saw math scores increase by 1.7 points, meaning Proficiency levels in this subject in the city’s public schools are now higher than the state levels.

In contrast, in grades 3-8 in English language arts (ELA), weights show a 2.6 point drop in this competition, showing trends that can be seen throughout the state, despite the launch of the ‘NYC Reads’ campaign in 2023, a strategy to strengthen literacy based on new ways of reading.

This new plan to strengthen reading instruction began in 50% of the public schools in the Big Apple. And in 90% of early childhood grades.

According to state tests, only the 49.1% of students in grades three through eight scored proficient or higher on their state English language arts test this year. This means a noticeable reduction, compared to the previous year.

“The new teaching programs are very good. But we have to understand that more and more children are coming to our schools. And English is not their first language. Thousands of immigrant students are just learning a new language. And they are intelligent, they learn quickly. But obviously they are not going to be on the same level as native. And the truth is that the number of teachers in Spanish has become small. These tests do not even show the effort our children are making. Not even what our teachers do”, said a Hispanic teacher from a school in the Bronx who preferred to remain anonymous.

What is happening?

Interpretation of David Banks, Chancellor of New York City Schools the “slight drop” in ELA test scores is due to the transition period, while the school system is changing to a new teaching method.

“Big changes don’t happen overnight. We’re launching phase 1 of ‘NYC Reads’ in about half of our school districts last year. We hope to roll it out to the other areas in Phase 2 this fall. Although the challenges continue at the highest levels, the first signs show that we are on the right track.”Banks responded in a statement.

The other explanation from the highest municipal education authority is that this reduction follows the trend of other states. who have implemented new literacy strategies with similar curricula based on the science of reading, along with extensive training and support for educators.

The example is mentioned of Tennessee and Mississippi, where the number of students It’s only half that of New York City, and experienced an initial decline in ALS scores, before significant long-term improvements were seen.

In both school systems, experts express this initial decline, to the transition period that many educators, it is necessary to go through it to implement the curriculum with fidelity.

The smaller the better

Starting last school year, New York City began discarding what it called the “failed approach” of “Literacy Fair,” to make way for new systems based on scientific evidence applied to other areas of the country.

The new strategy prioritizes the skills of good readers. Phonics is taught, to decode complex combinations of letters and pronouncing words, supporting their fluency and understanding.

For his part, Susan Neuman, NYU professor and member of the Literacy Advisory Councilreasoning that this decrease in scores reflects “very broad indicators of performance and is not particularly sensitive to the more detailed changes in skills, which we are beginning to see.” The evaluation data is promising. “

Additionally, in a statement shared by The Diarythe Department of Education (DOE) argues that literacy assessment data is consistent, showed progress in grades K through 2, with an increase of 1.8 percent from spring to spring.

It is added that grades K to 2 are critical years in early literacy development.

This assessment data, which is measured three times a year, is designed to help educators to change classroom teaching.

Figures shown at the start of the 2022 school year indicate that the 51% of all students in the city’s public primary schools are not sufficiently able to read.

But if you examine the figures of the Hispanic students: 63% do not have adequate grades. of reading-writing.

The differences are as follows:

• 70% of Asian American students and nearly 66% of white students score proficient or higher on English language tests, compared to nearly 39% of black students and about 36% of Hispanic children.

• 80% of Asian American children and just over 72% of white children were proficient, compared to about 38% of black students and nearly 40% of Hispanics.