Many of New York City's public schools continue to struggle academically, with a substantial number remaining identified for improvement for more than ten years, according to a recent report. The analysis traced schools across six accountability systems dating back to 2012, finding that roughly one-third of chronically struggling schools have not shown significant academic gains.
A child entering kindergarten in a school flagged for improvement over a decade ago could have already graduated from high school by the time any turnaround occurred, the report states. In total, 906 public schools were identified where a majority of students failed math, English language arts, or both. These schools serve more than 409,000 students, representing approximately 43% of the city's public school population.
The report highlights a pattern where schools repeatedly identified as failing are often the same institutions over successive years. Despite changes in state accountability frameworks, school mergers, and renaming, many have remained under scrutiny. The city and state have implemented numerous improvement plans, but the report questions the effectiveness of these initiatives, noting a lack of evidence of lasting academic progress.
Schools frequently identified for improvement often become eligible for additional city, state, and federal funding, along with new initiatives and accountability requirements. New York City's per-student spending now exceeds $42,000, more than double the national average. The report suggests that additional funding has often been allocated without robust accountability measures to ensure it translates into improved student achievement.
For instance, one school, PS 123 Mahalia Jackson in Harlem, received over $11.4 million last year, with per-student spending about a third above the citywide average. However, only about a quarter of its students demonstrated proficiency in math, and one-third in reading.
The report also touches on teacher evaluations, noting that an overwhelming majority of NYC teachers consistently receive "Effective" or "Highly Effective" ratings. It questions whether the current evaluation system accurately measures performance in low-performing schools, suggesting a need to focus on student outcomes rather than solely on dollars spent or improvement plans initiated.
The author, Jennifer Weber, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, argues that student outcomes should be the primary standard for evaluating school success, and that the Department of Education should demonstrate annual academic progress in struggling schools. The report concludes that too many students are still waiting for their schools to improve.