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Mayor, Schools Chancellor Announce Student Gains On Math Exams Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein announced on Tuesday that the percent of students in Grades 3 through 8 meeting or exceeding state math standards rose by 8.1 points between 2006 and 2007, representing the largest increase in eight years, while also shrinking the achievement gap between students of different racial backgrounds -- Black and Hispanic students make greatest gains -- and surpassing gains attained by students in the rest of the state. "I am proud of our principals, our teachers, our parents, and most
importantly, our students," said the mayor. "We have made real and sustained
progress over the past five years, and it's due to hard work, smart
decision-making, and true accountability for results." On the March 2007 New York State Math Assessments, 65.1 percent of elementary and middle school students scored at Levels 3 and 4. This represents a gain of 27.8 percentage points since 2002, the first year of the Bloomberg Administration. The percent of students scoring at the lowest level dropped to 10.6 percent, representing a 5.1 percentage point decline since 2006 and a 16.4 percentage point decline since 2002. "This is a day to celebrate; for kids and teachers in particular, but also for all those who played a supporting role, including parents, administrators, Chancellor Klein and Mayor Bloomberg," said UFT President Randi Weingarten. More students at each grade level passed the math exams in 2007 than in the previous year. Gains were more substantial in the middle schools, where students typically encounter more academic challenges. The percentage of sixth-graders meeting grade standards increased by 10.5 points since 2006; the percentage of seventh-graders increased by 11.6 points, and the percentage of eighth-graders increased by 6.7 points. While students at all grade levels progressed, gains achieved by black and Hispanic students-who historically have lagged behind their white and Asian peers-were the largest. Since 2006, the percent of black students in grades three through eight scoring at Levels 3 and 4 climbed 9 percentage points and the percent of Hispanic students scoring at the highest levels rose 9.3 percentage points. Since 2002, the percent of black students meeting standards has risen to 55.4
percent -- an increase of 29 percentage points, while the percent of Hispanic
student meeting standards has risen to 59 percent, an increase of 29.6
percentage points. Overall, the gap among the percentage of blacks and
Asian and white students meeting and exceeding standards decreased by 10.1 and
7.7 percentage points respectively since 2002. | |||||
