Notes

Outline

Two Big, Related Issues Are Before Us Today: State Aid to Schools and Student Achievement in High School

Student Achievement Key Finding: The Bottom Line If students take the required Regents Exams, then overwhelmingly they pass at 55 and even 65. But too many students enter high school unprepared for high school work, don’t pass their courses, and don’t take the exams in 4 years.

What Is the Link Between The Results in Student Achievement and State Aid? Results show more students are graduating, and they are achieving higher standards. New York’s education reforms are working. But too many still enter high school unprepared and don’t earn the 22 course credits they need for graduation in 4 years. State Aid must ensure basic fairness. Sufficient State Aid directed toward the children who need it will help prepare them for high school and help ensure they reach the standards and graduate. The Regents proposal does that.

Student Achievement: Raising the Standards As you know, last year the Regents decided to retain the low-pass option of 55 for a limited time. However, 65 represents proficiency, and the Regents are considering ways to raise the score to that level. They are looking at data and examining possible options. And they are looking at ways to give more students extra help when they need it.

New Student Data System As we’ve announced before, we’ve been moving toward a new, more complete data system. For the group of students who entered 9th grade in 2000, the new data system counts more students as part of the cohort. It is more complete because we can collect individual student data records that can link with test data, movement through the grades (when students begin grade 9, etc.), and educational outcomes (graduation, dropping out, etc.) for each student in the overall high school enrollment.

Key Finding: The Bottom Line If students take the required Regents Exams, then overwhelmingly they pass at 55 and even 65. But too many students enter high school unprepared for high school work, don’t pass their courses, and don’t take the exams in 4 years.

Why Don’t They Take the Exams? The Bottom Line People sometimes forget students have to earn 22 course credits to graduate, including 4 years of English and social studies, 3 years of math and science. Local schools determine what is passing 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.

Basic Findings: 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.

Basic Findings More students 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.

Basic Findings: Fewer students are being held back in 9th grade each year, which indicates that more students are entering high school better prepared for high school work. This is consistent with 8th grade English and math test scores, which show fewer students scoring in Level 1 each year between 2000 and 2004.

Basic Findings: These are good signs. But too many students who entered 9th grade in 2000 did not take Regents Exams in 4 years. Almost ¼ of general education students did not all take all 5 Regents Exams. Why? They were unprepared by middle school for their high school courses, did not pass their courses, and were frequently held back.

Basic Findings: 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 22 course credits they needed to graduate. Many also had personal and family problems. The Regents Exams were not a factor.

Basic Findings: After 4 years of high school, for the students who entered 9th grade in 2000, 67% of students who entered 9th grade in 2000 got a Regents or local diploma, 17% are still enrolled, 12% dropped out, 2% entered a GED program. Data from previous years show the 5-year graduation rate as of June 2005 will be 74%.

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.

More students overall are graduating each year.  And this past year, over 9,000 more students graduated. This chart shows all annual graduates and includes students who may have taken 4, 5 or more years to graduate.

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.

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Successes, But Challenges Continue These are all good signs. Many students are taking and passing the exams after 4 years. BUT too many students who entered 9th grade in 2000 did NOT TAKE Regents Exams. Why? They were unprepared by middle school for their high school courses, did not pass their courses, and were frequently held back. Students mast pass 22 credits (or years) of courses in the major subjects, including 4 years of English and social studies, 3 years of math and science. Local districts determine what score is passing in these courses. These students cannot graduate until they pass their courses. Next we look at general education, special education, and ELL students.

The 178,000 general education students who entered 9th grade in 2000 passed overwhelmingly at 55 if they took the exam.  Very few failed. But many did not take the exam after 4 years.

The 21,000 special education students were not required to pass the exams for a local diploma, and they did not have to take the exams for an IEP diploma. Many did not take the exams in 4 years. Many also are still enrolled.

The vast majority of the 11,000 ELL students passed at 55 if they took the exam. But many had not been tested after 4 years. Many ELL students are still enrolled. Historically, many ELL students take 5 or 6 years to graduate.

How Did General Education Students Perform? More Detail: A Look at Students Who Are Still Enrolled, Who Dropped Out, or Who Entered GED Programs

Out of 178,050 general education students, 16.4% are still enrolled after 4 years. Many of them still had not taken the exams because they were not well-prepared in one or more subjects and had not completed their coursework:

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:

Almost 2% of general education students who entered 9th grade in 2000 entered a GED program in the next 4 years. The vast majority of them did not take Regents Exams. Most of those who did, passed at 55. Very few failed:

Graduation General Education, Special Education, and ELL Students: Who has graduated, is still enrolled, has dropped out, or entered a GED program?

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Why Have Many Students Not Graduated? Because they have failed their courses and have not earned the 22 credits they need to graduate (4 years of English, 3 years of math, etc.). Local schools determine whether students pass these courses. The vast majority have not taken the Regents Exams. Therefore, the Regents Exams are not a factor in keeping them from graduating. The students were not prepared by middle school to do high school work and pass their courses.

To Recap: Basic Findings If general education students take the Regents Exams, then overwhelmingly they pass. 92% of general education students who took all 5 Regents Exams passed at 55, and 77% passed at 65. Most of them were seniors.

Basic Findings More students are graduating 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.

Basic Findings: Fewer students are being held back in 9th grade each year, which indicates that more students are entering high school better prepared for high school work. This is consistent with 8th grade English and math test scores, which show fewer students scoring in Level 1 each year between 2000 and 2004.

Basic Findings: These are good signs. But too many students who entered 9th grade in 2000 did not take Regents Exams in 4 years. Almost ¼ of general education students did not all take all 5 Regents Exams. Why? They were unprepared by middle school for their high school courses, did not pass their courses, and were frequently held back.

Basic Findings: 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 22 course credits they needed to graduate. Many also had personal and family problems. The Regents Exams were not a factor.

Key Finding: The Bottom Line If students take the required Regents Exams, then overwhelmingly they pass at 55 and even 65. But too many students enter high school unprepared for high school work, don’t pass their courses, and don’t take the exams in 4 years.

Why Don’t They Take the Exams? The Bottom Line People sometimes forget students have to earn 22 course credits to graduate, including 4 years of English and social studies and 3 years of math and science. Local schools determine what is passing 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.

What Is the Link Between The Results in Student Achievement and State Aid? Results show more students are graduating, and they are achieving higher standards. New York’s education reforms are working. But too many still enter high school unprepared and don’t earn the 22 course credits they need for graduation in 4 years. State Aid must ensure basic fairness. Sufficient State Aid directed toward the children who need it will help prepare them for high school and help ensure they reach the standards and graduate. The Regents proposal does that.

Regents State Aid Proposal: 2005-2006 It is designed to link funding to the cost of a successful education. Just as it did last year, it features a foundation formula for school operations in which the foundation cost is based on the actual cost of schools where 80% of students meet the standards. The formula is adjusted for student need and regional cost differences. Using this formula and letting it run will provide a permanent “fix” to the long-term State Aid problem, giving New York’s neediest children their Fair Share of aid.

Regents State Aid Proposal: 2005-2006 The Foundation Formula State Aid = Foundation Cost times Enrollment minus Expected Local Share This is adjusted for student need and regional cost differences. If a district does not vote the expected local share, the total available funds in the district would be less. There are other, additional aids, such as aid for students with disabilities, building aid, etc.

Court Referees’ State Aid Proposal The Court referees proposed a $5.6 billion increase in NYC school spending over 4 years, with $1.4 billion this year. They left it to the State to determine how much the State or locality would provide of that increase.

Regents State Aid Proposal The Regents promised to consider other ideas and reviewed the Court referees’ proposal carefully. Therefore, the Regents propose a statewide plan to reform State Aid, with an accelerated timeline of 5 years (instead of 7 years in last year’s proposal). The Regents proposal, similar to last year’s, is consistent in its goals and in total funding with the Court referees’ proposal. The Regents proposal also includes an expected local share to fund it.

Regents State Aid Proposal: New York City’s Share The Court referees proposed a total increase of $5.6 billion in New York City school spending (again, to come from State and local funding). The Regents also propose an increase of $5.6 billion to New York City. The Regents propose this be paid for through a State and Local share. State would invest an additional $4.7 billion. NYC would invest an additional $940 million.

Regents State Aid Proposal The Regents propose a total funding increase of $1.5 billion statewide in 2005-2006. This total funding increase includes aid to all school districts. New York City would get $810 million from the State this first year. Total statewide increase in the Foundation Formula alone over 5 years would be $6.6 billion. Other aid would also increase.

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Regents State Aid Proposal:  Accountability Accountability is already strong and includes School Report Cards, with demands on schools to improve. Schools that don’t improve enough must provide services like tutoring, go into corrective action, and ultimately restructure. If they still don’t improve, they must close.

Regents State Aid Proposal: Accountability The Regents are now proposing that high need school districts be required to submit a comprehensive sound basic education plan to be approved by the Commissioner. This is a recommendation proposed by the Court referees to ensure effective use of the new funds.

Regents State Aid Proposal The Regents proposal is consistent with the Court referees’ proposal. The Regents propose a $1 billion increase to New York City this year (including State and local shares), with $5.6 billion total to NYC over 5 years. The Regents Foundation Formula would provide a long-term solution to ensure fair funding for the neediest children.

What Is the Link Between The Results in Student Achievement and State Aid? Results show more students are graduating, and they are achieving higher standards. New York’s education reforms are working. But too many still enter high school unprepared and don’t earn the 22 course credits they need for graduation in 4 years. State Aid must ensure basic fairness. Sufficient State Aid directed toward the children who need it will help prepare them for high school and help ensure they reach the standards and graduate. The Regents proposal does that.