NYC Coalition for Educational Justice

by Anna Phillips, Gotham Schools

Nearly six months after the city saw students’ failure rates spike thanks to new, tougher state tests, Mayor Bloomberg is directing extra funding to ready those students for another round of exams.

The mayor announced today that the Department of Education will distribute $10 million to 532 schools where more than two-thirds of students failed the state’s math and English tests last year. The funding will target nearly half of the more than 100,000 students who did not meet the state’s newly heightened proficiency bar. Bloomberg said he expected 48,000 students to receive extra tutoring and in-school help as a result of the new funding.

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by Beth Fertig & Annmarie Fertoli, WNYC / WQXR News

City officials have announced a $10 million program to help struggling students pass state exams in math and English. The 532 schools where more than two-thirds of students failed to pass those tests will be able to use the money for after-school classes, tutoring and to buy computer programs to help students.

The schools will receive between $6,000 and $65,000 depending on need. But Schools Chancellor Cathie Black said the program shouldn’t be taken as a sign that money is the answer to all problems in city schools.

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by Fernanda Santos, NY Times

The city announced on Tuesday that it had set aside $10 million to give extra help to tens of thousands of students who failed standardized exams last year after the state raised the standards for passing.

The money will be distributed among 532 schools and will benefit nearly 50,000 fourth through eighth graders.

The amount was less than state law requires, but the city did more than it had to. The law required school districts to offer extra help to all students who failed the tests in English and math, but the state waived the requirement this year because so many more students had failed at a time when districts were already cutting budgets.

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by Rachel Monahan, Daily News

The city cut a deal to spend $10 million on a program for extra tutoring after months of pressure from parents and advocacy groups, sources told the Daily News.

Facing mounting opposition over his controversial pick for chancellor in the fall, the city reluctantly agreed to spend the money, the sources said.

For several months last fall, city Education Department officials said principals were responsible for providing services for the 100,000 more students who failed state tests last year – with no additional resources.

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by Meredith Kolodner, New York Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/06/17/2010-06-17_class_act_taking_a_budget_hit_successful_middle_school_program_faces_ax.html