School Report Cards For 2003–2004

Student Achievement Key Finding: The Bottom Line Student achievement is improving as students: show fewer academic problems, are better prepared for high school, and meet higher standards. More students are graduating.

Student Achievement Key Finding: The Bottom Line If students take the required Regents Exams, then overwhelmingly they pass at 55 and even 65. Data show students entering high school each year are better prepared to do high school work. But in the Class of 2004 too many students entered high school unprepared for high school work and didn’t pass their courses. Therefore, they didn’t even take the Regents Exams in 4 years.

Key Finding: More Students are Better Prepared for High School In 8th grade English and math, fewer students scored in Level 1 (indicating serious academic difficulties) each year between 2000 and 2004. Fewer students are being held back in 9th grade each year, which indicates more students are entering high school better prepared for high school work.

Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1 Fewer students scored at Level 1 in middle-level math. The percentage of students with serious academic problems (Level 1) has declined. Therefore, students who entered 9th grade after 2000 should be better prepared for high school. Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1 Public Schools Only

Fewer students scored at Level 1 in middle-level English Fewer students scored at Level 1 in middle-level English. The percentage of students with serious academic problems (Level 1) has declined. Therefore, students who entered 9th grade after 2000 should be better prepared for high school. Percentage of students scoring in Level 1 Public Schools Only

Fewer students are being held back in 9th grade each year Fewer students are being held back in 9th grade each year. The percentage held back peaked in 1998-99 and has declined each year since then. This indicates students are increasingly better prepared for high school work. These results are consistent with a declining percentage of students who score in level 1 in 8th grade math and English.

More Students Overall Are Taking and Passing Regents Examinations, 1996–2004 -- Even as More Regents Exams Are Required

Regents English The number of students scoring 65 or higher on the Regents English examination has increased by more than 67 percent since 1996. All Students

Regents Mathematics More students scored 65 or higher on Regents Math A in 2004 than took the Sequential Mathematics, Course I examination in 1998. Data for 1999–2002 include both Mathematics A and Sequential Mathematics, Course I. Data for 2003 and 2004 are for Mathematics A only. All Students

Regents Global History and Geography The number of students scoring 65 or higher on the Regents Global History and Geography examination has increased by more than 65 percent since 1996. The data for 2001 through 2003 are for the Regents Global History and Geography examination only. The data for 2000 are for both the Regents Global History and Geography and Global Studies examinations. The data for previous years are for Regents Global Studies only. All Students

Regents U.S. History & Government The number of students scoring 65 or higher on the Regents U.S. History & Government examination has increased by more than 63 percent since 1996. All Students

Regents Living Environment/Biology The number of students scoring 65 or higher on a Regents Biology exam has nearly doubled since 1996. Data for 1996 through 2000 are for the Regents Biology examination. Data for 2001 are for both the Regents Biology and the Regents Living Environment examinations. Data for 2002 through 2004 are for the Regents Living Environment examination. All Students

How Did Students Perform Who Entered 9th Grade in 2000?

New Student Data System We’ve been moving toward a new, more complete data system. As we announced in December -- For the group of students who entered 9th grade in 2000, the new data system counts 199,312 students, more than the number who took the 8th grade tests four years earlier. Of those, 178,050 were general education students. Included are students who entered 9th grade in 2000 and graduated, dropped out, moved to a GED program, or were still enrolled in June 2004.

Basic Finding: If general education students take the Regents Exams, then overwhelmingly they pass. For those who entered 9th grade in 2000, 92% of general education students who took all 5 Regents Exams passed at 55, and 77% passed at 65. Most of them were seniors.

Percentage of Students If general education students take the required Regents Exams over 4 years, then overwhelmingly they pass. 92% of general education students entering 9th grade in 2000 who took all 5 required exams passed at 55, and 77% passed at 65 after 4 years. These were mostly seniors. Score Total State New York City Number of Students Percentage of Students Gen Ed Students with scores on five exams 130,924   36,456 Gen Ed Students with a score of 65 or higher on five exams 101,123 77.2% 21,887 60.0% Gen Ed Students with scores of 55 or higher on five exams 120,058 91.7% 31,431 86.2% The Board of Regents is considering ways to move to a 65 passing score. Possible options to move to 65: Gen Ed Students with an average score of 65 or higher on five exams, at least four scores above 65 and all scores above 55 113,801 86.9% 27,707 76.0% Gen Ed Students with an average score of 65 or higher on five exams and no score below 55 116,939 89.3% 29,337 80.5%

For Students Who Entered 9th Grade in 2000, How Was Performance on Each Exam? If students took the exams, then they passed in overwhelming numbers. Very few failed. However, too many students failed their courses and did not take the Regents Exams, which are end-of-course tests.

Why Do Some Students Not Take the Exams in 4 Years? The Bottom Line People sometimes forget students have to pass their courses and earn course credits to graduate. Local schools determine passing grades in these courses. If students enter 9th grade with serious academic problems in reading and math, they fail their courses. They are held back. They don’t earn enough credits to graduate in 4 years. They may take 5 or more years to graduate. Many also drop out. The Regents Exams are not a factor in their difficulties, as the data show.

Courses that Students Who Entered 9th Grade in 2000 Had to Pass Students had to earn 20.5 course credits to graduate. (A credit equals a year-long course.) Students had to PASS: 4 years of English 4 years of social studies (including U.S. History and Global History) 2 years of math 2 years of science Courses in the arts, health, and physical education. Students who entered 9th grade after 2000 are required to pass 3 years of math and science for a total of 22 credits.

Performance of General-Education Students Who First Entered Grade 9 in 2000 (2000 Cohort) by Need/Resource Capacity Category

General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort Regents English Exam as of June 2004 Students who took the exam overwhelmingly passed. Few failed. However, in high need districts, many students did not take the exam in 4 years because they failed their courses. General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort 2000 cohort general-education members = 178,050

The same is true for other Regents Exams General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort as of June 2004 by Need/Resource Capacity Category Regents Mathematics Regents Global History and Geography Regents U.S. History and Government Regents Science

Performance of General-Education Students Who First Entered Grade 9 in 2000 (2000 Cohort) by Race/Ethnicity

General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort Regents English Exam as of June 2004 Students who took the exam overwhelmingly passed. Few failed. However, many minority students in high need districts did not take the exam in 4 years because they failed their courses. General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort 2000 cohort general-education members = 178,050

The same is true for other Regents Exams General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort as of June 2004 by Race/Ethnicity Regents Mathematics Regents Global History and Geography Regents U.S. History and Government Regents Science

Performance of Seniors in the 2000 Cohort by Need/Resource Capacity Category

General-Education Seniors in the 2000 Cohort Regents English Requirement as of June 2004: For Seniors by N/RC 95% of general-education seniors in the 2000 cohort met the English graduation requirement in four years. General-Education Seniors in the 2000 Cohort 2000 cohort seniors = 135,884

The vast majority of General-Education Seniors in the 2000 Cohort passed the Regents Exams as of June 2004 in all N/RC Groups. Regents Mathematics Regents Global History and Geography Regents U.S. History and Government Regents Science

Graduation Rate

Basic Finding More students statewide graduate every year. Overall, 9,000 more students graduated last year, the 8th consecutive year that more students have graduated. Yet total high school enrollment has not risen as fast.

More Students Are Graduating Since higher standards were adopted in 1996, the number of high school graduates has increased statewide. All Students Counts for 1995-96 through 2000-01 include January, June, and August graduates of the reporting year. Beginning in 2001-02, August graduates are included with January and June graduates of the next school year.

Regents Diplomas The percentage of students earning Regents Diplomas has increased significantly since higher standards were adopted in 1996. Regents Diplomas require passing at least 8 Regents exams, including 2 mathematics and 2 science exams.

2000 Cohort Total Students = 199,312 Graduation: Almost 68% of all students (general and special education) who entered 9th grade in 2000 had graduated with a Regents or local diploma after 4 years. 17% were still enrolled. Data from previous years indicate another 13,000 students will graduate by June 2005, making the 5-year graduation rate 74%. 2000 Cohort Total Students = 199,312 All Students in Public Schools

2000 Cohort Black Students = 36,989 2000 Cohort Black Students About three-fourths of Black students in the 2000 cohort had graduated or were still enrolled by June 2004. Almost 2 in 10 had dropped out. 2000 Cohort Black Students = 36,989 All Students in Public Schools

2000 Cohort Hispanic Students = 31,434 2000 Cohort Hispanic Students About three-fourths of Hispanic students in the 2000 cohort had graduated or were still enrolled by June 2004; more than two in ten had dropped out. 2000 Cohort Hispanic Students = 31,434 All Students in Public Schools

2000 Cohort Asian Students = 13,515 2000 Cohort Asian Students Nearly 90 percent of Asian students in the 2000 cohort had graduated or were still enrolled by June 2004; about one-tenth had dropped out. 2000 Cohort Asian Students = 13,515 All Students in Public Schools

2000 Cohort White Students = 116,633 2000 Cohort White Students Eighty-one percent of White students in the 2000 cohort graduated by June 2004; seven percent had dropped out. White students were one-third as likely as Hispanics to have dropped out. 2000 Cohort White Students = 116,633 All Students in Public Schools

Graduation Rates for Minority Students The new data system provides statewide information we’ve not had before. Four-year graduation rates for minority students are unacceptably low. This is a long-standing problem that must be solved. New York City’s data, reported for many years, shows 4-year minority graduation rates have been low for over a decade, but have improved somewhat in recent years.

Students Who Dropped Out

Basic Finding: Overwhelmingly, general education students who dropped out or entered GED programs never took Regents Exams. The few who took an exam most often passed at 55 or 65 rather than failed. Why did they drop out? Studies show many reasons, especially including poor preparation for high school. They failed their courses and did not earn the course credits they needed to graduate. Many also had personal and family problems. The Regents Exams were not a factor. Poor preparation for high school is a problem the Regents and schools are working to solve.

Scores Earned by Tested Students Almost 12% of general education students who entered 9th grade in 2000 dropped out in the four years. The vast majority of them did not take Regents Exams. Most of those who did take them passed at 55. Very few failed: Regents Exam performance of General Education students who entered 9th grade in 2000 and dropped out through June 30, 2004 Regents Examination Percentage Not Tested Scores Earned by Tested Students 0-54 55-64 65-100 55-100 English 85.6 4.8 2.6 7.0 9.6 Mathematics 74.7 11.7 3.6 10.0 13.6 Global History 72.4 9.4 4.2 13.9 18.1   U.S. History 89.0 3.0 1.5 6.5 8.0 Science 69.5 8.2 4.9 17.5 22.4

Comparison of 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Accountability Cohort Performance After Four Years

Accountability Cohort As announced before, we have used all the available data for several years to collect information on students in order to hold schools accountable. Schools are held accountable for students who have been continuously enrolled in the school for at least two years. Those are the students included here. These data have been reported each year in the School Report Card, and statewide results are presented here for comparison with previous years.

Accountability Cohort (1996-2000) Performance After Four Years Regents English Exam More students scored above 65 in the latest accountability cohort. Accountability Cohort (1996-2000) Performance After Four Years General-Education Accountability Cohort Enrollment After Four Years 1996: 143,500 1997: 145,000 1998: 144,500 1999: 154,500 2000: 155,000 90% at 55-100 89% at 55-100 87% at 55-100 88% at 55-100 89% at 55-100

Accountability Cohort (1996-2000) Performance After Four Years Regents Mathematics Exam Results have remained about the same for the past two years. Accountability Cohort (1996-2000) Performance After Four Years General-Education Accountability Cohort Enrollment After Four Years 1996: 143,500 1997: 145,000 1998: 144,500 1999: 154,500 2000: 155,000 77% at 55-100 85% at 55-100 86% at 55-100 85% at 55-100 87% at 55-100

Accountability Cohort (1998-2000) Performance After Four Years Regents Global History and Geography Exam More students are scoring above 65 each year. Accountability Cohort (1998-2000) Performance After Four Years 88% at 55-100 General-Education Accountability Cohort Enrollment After Four Years 1998: 144,500 1999: 154,500 2000: 155,000 89% at 55-100 89% at 55-100

Accountability Cohort (1998-2000) Performance After Four Years Regents U.S. History and Government Exam More students scored above 65 in the latest accountability cohort. Accountability Cohort (1998-2000) Performance After Four Years 85% at 55-100 86% at 55-100 General-Education Accountability Cohort Enrollment After Four Years 1998: 144,500 1999: 154,500 2000: 155,000 86% at 55-100

Accountability Cohort Performance After Four Years Regents Science Exam More students scored above 65 in the latest accountability cohort. Accountability Cohort Performance After Four Years General-Education Accountability Cohort Enrollment After Four Years 1999: 154,500 2000: 155,000 87% at 55-100 90% at 55-100

Holding Schools Accountable: The Bottom Line What Schools Made Adequate Yearly Progress? 75 percent of public schools and 47 percent of districts made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in every category under the State Accountability System in 2003-2004.

Schools Making AYP -- Elementary Schools A larger percentage of schools made AYP in 2003-04 than in 2002-03 in each subject.

Schools Making AYP -- Middle Schools A larger percentage of schools made AYP in 2003-04 than in 2002-03 in English and in mathematics.

Schools Making AYP – High Schools Fewer schools made AYP in 2003-04 than in 2002-03 in English and in math. High Schools were not subject to the participation rate requirement in 2002-03.

School AYP Rate The number of indicators for which a school is accountable depends on: the grade levels in the school and the number of accountability groups with 30 continuously enrolled students. The School AYP Rate is the percentage of indicators for which a school is accountable on which they made AYP. A K-5 school could have as many as 27 indicators, with 9 accountability group on each of 3 measures.

Schools– AYP Rate 75% of schools made AYP on all of their accountability indicators in 2003-04.

Student Achievement Key Finding: The Bottom Line Student achievement is improving as students: show fewer academic problems, are better prepared for high school, and meet higher standards. More students are graduating.

Performance of Students Who Entered 9th Grade in 2000 If students took the exams, then they passed in overwhelming numbers. Very few failed. However, too many students in this class entered high school unprepared, failed their courses and did not take the Regents Exams, which are end-of-course tests.

Why Do Some Students Not Take the Exams in 4 Years? The Bottom Line People sometimes forget students have to pass their courses and earn course credits to graduate. Local schools determine passing grades in these courses. If students enter 9th grade with serious academic problems in reading and math, they fail their courses. They are held back. They don’t earn enough credits to graduate in 4 years. They may take 5 or more years to graduate. Many also drop out. The Regents Exams are not a factor in their difficulties, as the data show.

Courses that Students in the Class of 2004 Had to Pass Students had to earn 20.5 course credits to graduate. (A credit equals a year-long course.) Students had to PASS: 4 years of English 4 years of social studies (including U.S. History and Global History) 2 years of math 2 years of science Courses in the arts, health, and physical education. Students who entered 9th grade after 2000 are required to pass 3 years of math and science for a total of 22 credits.

Basic Finding: Graduation More students statewide graduate every year. Overall, 9,000 more students graduated last year, the 8th consecutive year that more students have graduated. Yet total high school enrollment has not risen as fast.

Graduation Rates for Minority Students The new data system provides statewide information we’ve not had before. Four-year graduation rates for minority students are unacceptably low. This is a long-standing problem that must be solved. New York City’s data, reported for many years, shows 4-year minority graduation rates have also been low for over a decade, but have improved somewhat in recent years.

What Districts Can Do to Improve Achievement Break large high schools into smaller schools or learning communities within a school. This will focus more attention on individual students. Expand proven career technical education programs. The Regents policy integrating academics and technical programs is working. Carry out middle school reform approved by the Regents. Make sure teachers are well-qualified, with professional development to teach to the standards.

What Schools Can Do to Improve Achievement Develop transition programs to help children move from 8th to 9th grade, including orientation in 8th grade, summer programs, added support in 9th grade. Develop “catch-up” programs to help students who enter 9th grade behind their peers. Expand high school reading and math programs for students who are behind their peers. Develop an intensive program to improve attendance. Support counseling for family, health, mental health problems; work with parents.

School Report Cards It’s important for everyone to know whether students and schools are achieving higher standards. Only by knowing the facts can we improve. Results on the tests, which measure the standards, are good yardsticks that help us evaluate how we can and should improve.