HIGH NEED SCHOOLS MAKE MAJOR GAINS IN ELEMENTARY ENGLISH
ACHIEVEMENT GAP CONTINUES TO CLOSE
MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH SCORES SHOW VERY MODEST GAINS

           Student achievement in elementary English continues to improve, according to fourth grade test scores released today, and the achievement gap continues to close.

            A record 70 percent of fourth graders met all the State Learning Standards by scoring in Levels 3 and 4, up from 48 percent in 1999, the first year the test was given, and up 8 percent over last year.

            Black and Hispanic students especially continued to make significant gains. For the first time, a majority achieved all the standards. Almost 54 percent of black students met all the standards, up from 26 percent in 1999. Over 57 percent of Hispanic students did so, up from 26 percent in 1999. Black students improved 10 percent from last year; Hispanic students improved over 11 percent from last year.

            High Need Districts also continued to close the achievement gap. Almost 60 percent of New York City students achieved all the standards. And, for the first time, more than half of the Big Four City students achieved all the standards.

            In addition, the number of fourth-graders with serious academic problems (scoring in level 1) reached an all-time low of 5.4 percent. Most significant is the multi-year improvement made by Black and Hispanic students and students in High Need Districts. About 10 percent of Black students scored in level 1, down from 22 percent in 1999. About 8 percent of Hispanic students scored in level 1, down from 24 percent in 1999.

            However, middle school students made very modest gains statewide, according to 8^th grade English scores released today. The percentage of students meeting all the standards (levels 3 and 4) increased by one percentage point from the previous year, to 48 percent. But results are still the same as in 1999.

            The bright spot in middle school results: The number of middle school children with serious academic difficulties (scoring in level 1) did decline, to 6.6 percent, down from a high of 13.6 percent in 2001. The improvement was especially noticeable in New York City; over 10 percent of students showed serious academic problems, down from a high of 23.6 percent in 2000.

            “Closing the achievement gap is the Regents’ highest priority,” Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett said. “Now we can see elementary school children in the highest need schools improving year after year. These successes should make us more determined than ever to ensure more children in all grades get a good education. Middle schools need to refocus their work and do better. We still have a long way to go, but it can be done.”

            “Elementary school children are getting a better education, and the achievement gap is continuing to close,” State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said. “That’s great news. This multi-year pattern of improvement shows that schools are taking effective actions to provide their students with extra help.”

            “Middle school results, on the other hand, are at best mixed. It’s important that fewer students are showing serious academic problems. Some schools have improved and a number are doing well. However, the lack of improvement in the number of students achieving the standards gives new urgency to the changes in middle school policy just adopted by the Board of Regents,” Commissioner Mills said.