NYC students improve math, reading scores after ‘realignment to new standards’

More New York City public school students scored proficient in state tests in math and reading in the spring than previously, though the Adams administration acknowledged it’s not an apple-to-apples comparison, because the state recently changed its standards.

While English Language Arts scores ticked up, math scores were significantly higher.

Some critics say the bar for student proficiency was lowered in March, when the Board of Regents adjusted its standards after scores dropped last year following the pandemic.

According to city officials, the percentage of students in third through eighth grade achieving proficiency in English Language Arts rose from 49% in 2022 to 51.7% in 2023. Math proficiency increased from 37.9% in 2022 to 49.9% in 2023. However officials acknowledge “assessments underwent a realignment to new standards” and the two years aren't “directly comparable.”

Still, Schools Chancellor David Banks touted the scores.

“These results are extremely encouraging,” he said. “Under the first year of this administration, we’re seeing more of our students on grade level and meeting the state’s learning standards.”

Banks added, “We also saw proficiency growth among the students we have historically let down: students of color, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities. These results tell us: we’re on the right track. We are making strides in our recovery from the pandemic, and we are going to build on this success this year and beyond.

The test score data showed one major outlier: Proficiency rates for sixth-graders in English Language Arts fell to 47.8% this year from 56.3% last year.

Education experts called for some skepticism, noting that in addition to the new standards, the pandemic had depressed the previous year’s scores.

“Parents need to keep the test scores in perspective,” said David Bloomfield, professor of education leadership, law & policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center. “As always the public should take claims of improved test scores with a grain of salt, a large grain of salt. … There’s too much noise in the data for the administration to take a victory lap.”

But Zach Warner, assistant commissioner of the office of state assessment, said the changed standards do not necessarily mean lower standards.

“Maybe the changes to the standards make for a more coherent structure that supports instruction, or more kids are passing because teachers are doing a great job with instruction,” he said. “Maybe kids are doing better; maybe we just did a better job providing for kids. We hope that every year, kids do grow and do better.”

Banks has made boosting scores a priority. In the spring, officials forced some schools to do virtual test prep in advance of the state exams, and had superintendents discuss student performance during “hot seat” meetings.

Banks has also invoked low proficiency scores in reading to illustrate the literacy crisis among the city’s public school students, which he has pledged to address through reforms. In a press release, officials pointed to higher scores at schools that were early adopters of new literacy curricula.