The hallways of many high schools in New York City may seem lively with students going to and from their classes, but this activity conceals a deeper problem within the classrooms. Teachers are often overwhelmed by large class sizes, and many students struggle to stay engaged with their lessons. This is the reality for numerous students in the New York City school system, where academic achievement is a significant concern.
In an ideal educational landscape, high school students in New York City should be graduating with diplomas that reflect genuine mastery of both sciences and humanities after four years of study. However, the reality has often fallen short of these expectations, revealing systemic challenges within the city's public school system. Ernest Oliveri's book, Slow Death, offers a thorough examination of the factors contributing to these failures and suggests potential solutions.
This blog examines the current state of academic achievement in New York City's failing high schools. It explores the challenges faced by both students and educators, identifies systemic issues that contribute to this ongoing problem, and discusses possible interventions that could help. It also highlights the essential role of community and policy in driving meaningful change.
The Graduation Struggle
Historically, New York City has grappled with low graduation rates and varying diploma standards. Take, for example, the 2002 cohort of Washington Irving High School, where only forty-five percent of students graduated on time in 2006. Even two years later, this cohort achieved just fifty-eight percent graduation, continuing to lag behind city-wide goals.
Disparity in Diplomas
Not all diplomas are created equal in New York City. There's the prestigious Regents diploma, which signifies passing rigorous state exams in various subjects, and then there's the local diploma, a lesser certificate given for completing coursework without Regents exams. From the 1980s until the 2010s, many students opted for the local diploma, which, while boosting school statistics, raised questions about the quality of education and preparedness for higher education or the workforce.
Pressure and Policy Adjustments
Over the years, the state education department has repeatedly raised graduation standards, first in 1997, then in 2005, and again in 2012. Each time, these adjustments aimed to align educational outcomes with higher expectations. However, New York City struggled to meet these benchmarks, forcing policy reevaluations and adjustments that underscored the persistent challenges in achieving academic success across the city's schools.
Principal Accountability
Principals, under pressure to improve graduation rates and bolster school reputations, sometimes resorted to controversial measures. In one school year a significant number of students were failing a required economics course shortly before graduation. Concerned about the impact on graduation statistics, the principal intervened, offering students opportunities to pass through special projects or essays, effectively lowering academic standards in pursuit of higher graduation rates.
Ethical Dilemmas and Public Scrutiny
This approach, while aimed at protecting school reputations, sparked ethical dilemmas among educators. Some teachers faced direct pressure to compromise grading standards to inflate graduation rates. Such incidents sometimes drew public scrutiny, as highlighted by one teacher's anonymous tip-off to the media, revealing the internal struggles within schools to balance academic integrity with institutional pressures.
Historical Context of Diploma Standards
As the twentieth century progressed, New York's Board of Regents evolved its diploma standards to adapt to changing educational needs. By the late 1970s, frustration mounted over high failure rates, leading to the introduction of the Regents Competency Test (RCT) in 1979. Unlike subject-specific Regents exams, the RCT tested basic skills in math, science, reading, and social studies, offering a pathway to a local diploma.
Despite these efforts, the number of full Regents diplomas remained low in New York City. The two-tiered graduation system faced criticism from educators, politicians, and the media alike. In response, the Board of Regents revised its requirements, aiming to phase out the RCT and implement stricter criteria. Beginning with the 1999 cohort, students were mandated to pass Regents exams in five subject areas. While many districts met these standards, New York City struggled to produce graduates with scores of 65 percent or higher, especially in the sciences.
Adjustments And Challenges
Facing persistent underachievement, the Board of Regents adjusted standards further, introducing a formula for a local diploma that required scores of 65-plus on two Regents exams and 55-plus on three others. Despite these adjustments, progress remained sluggish. In 2008, the deadline for meeting stricter standards was extended, granting city schools an additional four years to improve their systems.
The outcomes were sobering. Between 2005 and 2009, only a small percentage of Washington Irving seniors earned Regents diplomas, averaging 20 percent, while local diplomas averaged 22 percent. The remainder required additional years to graduate, or they dropped out entirely. For instance, in 2009, 22 percent of the 2005 cohort remained in school until they were twenty years old, while 33 percent had left school for the labor market, with few pursuing further education.
Grading Controversies And Scrutiny
In an effort to address the poor improvement in Regents statistics for New York’s large cities, the state adjusted grading rubrics to facilitate meeting diploma benchmarks. In 1998, changes allowed for lower passing thresholds in subjects like algebra and biology, undermining the rigor of assessments. Humanities exams saw prescribed grading rubrics that sometimes rewarded minimal effort, again raising concerns about educational integrity.
During the Bloomberg administration, further scrutiny surrounded Regents exam grading. Until 2013, exams were graded internally, prompting allegations of grade inflation and the practice of "scrubbing"—where exams near passing received additional reviews in search of extra points.
Slow Death by Ernest Oliveri
Ernest Oliveri's Slow Death offers a compelling examination of the systemic failures in New York City's high schools, directly tying into the broader issue of academic underperformance. Through the lens of Washington Irving High School, Oliveri illustrates how policy missteps and socio-economic challenges contribute to educational decline. The insights emphasize the urgent need for reforms that address both academic and social dimensions to effectively combat the crisis in these schools. For a deeper understanding of these critical issues, Slow Death is an essential resource.
Conclusion
Addressing the academic failure inNew York City's failing high schools requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach. By increasing funding, improving teacher training, revamping curricula, reintroducing vocational tracks, and implementing tailored educational strategies, it is possible to create an environment where all students have an opportunity to succeed. Government policies must support these efforts, and community and parental involvement should be encouraged to ensure a holistic approach to education.