New York Students Improve in Reading and Math

Reading and math scores for New york students in grades three through eight improved significantly across the state this year, with particularly sizeable gains in the large urban areas, including new york city.

The gains were apparent in nearly every grade level tested in both subjects, in some cases with double-digit increases in the percentage of students performing at grade level or above. The scores on the annual statewide exams were released by education officials on Monday.

In math, 81 percent of students tested were at or above grade level, up from 73 percent last year, the state said. In reading, which has proved more difficult to improve, about 69 percent of students met or exceeded state standards for their grade level, up from 63 percent last year.

state education commissioner Richard Mills called the results “encouraging and exciting,” saying they were evidence that the state’s emphasis on giving more money to needy school districts and focusing on high standards was successful.

“The schools have delivered,” Mr. Mills said in a new conference in Albany. “Everyone is paying attention to grade by grade results. If the kid who needs help is getting the help, this is what it should look like. This is what we are looking for, that kind of improvement in achievement.”

But Mr. Mills seemed to anticipate skepticism that is often voiced by education experts when the results on standardized tests improve sharply across the board, raising questions about whether the exams are easier in some years. Mr. Mills said the testing system had been reviewed by the federal department of education and was also vetted by a group of outside experts.

“For people who will say now that these results are going up, so it must be easier, look at the test yourself,” he said.

Mr. Mills also praised schools for doing more to monitor student improvement throughout the year, like developing weekly tests or focusing on particular skills outlined in state standards.

In new york city, the results have climbed steadily in the last two years. This year, 57.6 percent of students performed at or above grade level in reading, up from 50.7 percent in 2006, and 74.3 percent did so in math, up from 57 percent two years ago. The gains come as Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who has staked his legacy on improving the public schools, is seeking re-authorization of mayoral control of the system from the state legislature next year.

Despite the overall improvement, results varied considerably at different grade levels. In seventh grade reading, for example, 70 percent of students performed at or above grade level this year, up from 57.8 percent last year. But in eighth grade, 56.1 percent of students performed at or above grade level this year, slightly down from 57 percent last year.

Mr. Mills attributed the differences to the design of the tests, saying that in third, fifth and seventh grades, students were asked to answer more multiple choice questions and give short written responses, rather than longer essays.

At individual schools, student performance seemed to differ. Mr. Bloomberg was scheduled to speak about the scores at Public School 175 in Harlem, where the percentage of fourth graders performing at or above grade level improved by 14.9 percentage points. But in fifth grade, 62.7 percent of students met or exceeded state standards, compared with 74.3 percent last year.

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Monday, June 23, 2008 |

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