More than 400,000 NYC children enrolled in schools where most students fail state exams, report finds
NEW YORK, July 9. More than 409,000 New York City public school children attend schools where fewer than half of students passed state math or reading exams, according to a report released by Success Academy, a New York City charter school network. The analysis covered 906 schools, nearly half of all public schools across the five boroughs, where the majority of students failed at least one state assessment last year. In 503 of those schools, the majority of students failed both math and reading.
NEW YORK, July 9. More than 409,000 New York City public school children attend schools where fewer than half of students passed state math or reading exams, according to a report released by Success Academy, a New York City charter school network. The analysis covered 906 schools, nearly half of all public schools across the five boroughs, where the majority of students failed at least one state assessment last year. In 503 of those schools, the majority of students failed both math and reading.
Scope of the findings
Success Academy researchers spent months analyzing primary public records, including New York State Education Department accountability data dating back to 2012, alongside NYC school quality reports, expenditure files, and standardized test results, representatives for the charter network said. The 906 schools enroll 409,379 students, representing 43 percent of all NYC public school children, the report shows.
New York City spent approximately $40 billion on public education in fiscal year 2024, according to the report. That figure translates to $36,293 per pupil, roughly double the national average. The report criticized city officials' allocation of those funds, noting that the city has committed to billions more to finance a class-size mandate while maintaining hundreds of vacant schools that drain resources with no return.
State and city responses
The New York State Education Department said its own 2024-2025 test score data for grades 3 through 8 showed 57 percent of students proficient in math and 53 percent proficient in English Language Arts. A department spokesperson called the Success Academy report "a vehicle to detract from its attempts to circumvent the New York City charter cap," adding that there was no assessment data in 2020 and significantly limited data in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An NYC Public Schools spokesperson called the report "riddled with misdirections, misinformation and allegations not based in fact," saying the city educates every student who comes through its doors, including English language learners and students with disabilities.
Attendance and charter performance
Approximately 35 percent of all New York City public school students, roughly 300,000 children, were flagged as chronically absent during the school year, meaning they missed at least 10 percent of required school days, the report shows.
Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz said her researchers intentionally reviewed the performance metrics of every school in the city to produce a comprehensive baseline. The charter network ranked first in New York State for math proficiency in grades 3 through 8 on recent state exams, with a 96 percent pass rate, and placed second statewide in English Language Arts with a 92 percent pass rate, trailing Scarsdale Union Free School District by one percentage point.