Schools

Brooklyn Students See Big Drop in Latest Test Scores

Harder test results in performance drop for grades 3-8.

The state education department released the latest test scores from students across New York Wednesday morning, revealing a big dip in the numbers from previous years. 

New York City performed the best among the state's five largest school districts, with 26.4 percent of students meeting or exceeding the English standard and 29.6 percent meeting or exceeding the math standard. 

But beating out places like Buffalo and Rochester was cold comfort, considering the precipitous drop the scores suffered from previous years. 

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Students in last year's testing passed English at a 47 percent rate, and math at a 60 percent rate, according to published reports. 

The drop in scores was anticipated, with 2013 the first year under a new, more difficult nationwide standard known as "Common Core." 

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The Common Core standard has been adopted by nearly every state, as part of an effort to increase the test scores of American students as compared to their European and Asian counterparts. 

"I understand these scores are sobering for parents, teachers, and principals. It's frustrating to see our children struggle," New York Education Commissioner John King said. "But we can't allow ourselves to be paralyzed by frustration; we must be energized by this opportunity."

New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott echoed the sentiment. 

"We have known for over a year that a higher bar would initially mean lower scores,” said Walcott. “But this change is important, and students, teachers, and schools will not be penalized by the transition. With an unprecedented amount of support being provided, I have full confidence that schools will effectively take on this challenge and students will reach this higher bar, as they have many times before.”

Parents will learn the individual scores of their own students later this month.

Percentage of students passing the latest state test in Brooklyn, by grade:

Grade 3 ELA - 27.6 

Grade 3 Math - 33.5

Grade 4 ELA - 27.5

Grade 4 Math - 35.6

Grade 5 ELA - 27.5

Grade 5 Math - 29.4

Grade 6 ELA - 23

Grade 6 Math - 29.1

Grade 7 ELA - 25.8

Grade 7 Math - 25

Grade 8 ELA - 25.1

Grade 8 Math - 26.7


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