Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, August 5, 2013

Results of New Testing Standard Could Complicate Bloomberg’s Final Months Parent Advocates - ParentAdvocates.org

Parent Advocates - ParentAdvocates.org:

Results of New Testing Standard Could Complicate Bloomberg’s Final Months



Michael Bloomberg, uber-rich Mayor of New York City who has called himself the "education Mayor", is about to see his claim to fame die. As Javier Hernandez writes in the NY Times (August 4, 2013): "In New York City, the proportion of students deemed proficient in math and reading could decrease by as many as 30 percentage points, city officials said, threatening to hand Mr. Bloomberg a public relations problem five months before he is set to leave office."
           
Results of New Testing Standard Could Complicate Bloomberg’s Final Months
By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ, NY TIMES
LINK

Michael R. Bloomberg has staked much of his reputation as the mayor of New York City on improving students’ test scores, and has trumpeted gains in math and reading as validation of his 12-year effort to remake the city’s schools.

But the mayor’s telling of history is poised to receive one of its most vigorous challenges yet on Wednesday, when New York State is expected to report drastic drops in student performance across the state because of a new set of tougher exams.

In New York City, the proportion of students deemed proficient in math and reading could decrease by as many as 30 percentage points, city officials said, threatening to hand Mr. Bloomberg a public relations problem five months before he is set to leave office.

Already, many of Mr. Bloomberg’s rivals — the teachers’ union, parent groups, and several of the Democratic candidates