NYC High School Graduation Rates Up as State Requirements Lowered (New York: credit, employment)

[Aeran]

Well, there's the answer. They made it easier to graduate! lol. But, some interesting stats & data nonetheless.

https://www.thecity.nyc/education/20...ements-lowered

You can find your school’s graduation rate using the searchable table at the bottom of this story

Graduation rates in New York City rose to 81% last school year, about 2 percentage points higher than the previous year, state officials announced Wednesday.

Across the state, 86% of students graduated — roughly 1 percentage point higher than the previous school year.

New York’s data comes as graduation rates have dipped in at least 20 states.

For the second year in a row, as the pandemic disrupted teaching and learning, state education officials made it easier to graduate in the 2020-2021 school year. They canceled most Regents exams and allowed students to be exempt from taking the exams to graduate, since many students were learning exclusively from home. Instead, students had to pass the course tied to the normally required Regents exam.

Graduation rates of New York City’s Asian students far outpaced their peers. Roughly 91% of Asian students graduated within four years, compared with 82% of white students, 79% percent of Black students and 78% of Latino students.

White students saw graduation rates dip by 2 percentage points year-over-year, unlike their Asian, Black and Latino peers, who saw rates increase.

Students learning English as a new language and children with disabilities continued to graduate at significantly lower rates than their peers — but there was improvement compared to last year.

English learners posted a graduation rate of 60%, more than 14 percentage points higher than last year. State officials did not explain what contributed to the significant rise for English learners. About 58% of students with disabilities earned their diplomas, 5 percentage points higher than 2020.

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

It's easier to fudge numbers now with all of the back and forth with remote classes, as truancy was previously a major reason why many schools, particularly in lower economic communities, had lower graduation rates.

[fluttereagle]

A high school diploma is almost worthless at this point, and many bachelor's degrees are becoming increasingly worthless. This puts a big burden on employers, who must institute extreme screening and interview processes, as the degrees can't always be trusted. Even GPA can't be trusted due to grade inflation and courses having lots of group projects.

[citylove101]

The higher graduation rate could also reflect (to some folks) an unpopular truth: Regents tests are simply less effective in determining what a kid has learned than a year’s worth of coursework.

Only 11 states now require a high school exit test. Most states have already gotten rid of them. Educationally, we are a laggard. Most of the rest of the country knows that Regents and other similar exit exams are not a great way to see if a kid has learned his high school stuff.

https://www.fairtest.org/graduation-...tly-eliminated

[homestead123]

Anyone else remember when nyc had “non-regent” classes for the kids not smart enough or willing to keep up with the regent students?
Now, everyone takes the regents and the passing numbers are up.
How is that possible?

Disclaimer: I was a flunky in HS and a non regent student.

[Mr.Retired]

................and as a result employment numbers move downward as graduation rates rise.

[city living]

Originally Posted by citylove101

The higher graduation rate could also reflect (to some folks) an unpopular truth: Regents tests are simply less effective in determining what a kid has learned than a year’s worth of coursework.

Only 11 states now require a high school exit test. Most states have already gotten rid of them. Educationally, we are a laggard. Most of the rest of the country knows that Regents and other similar exit exams are not a great way to see if a kid has learned his high school stuff.

https://www.fairtest.org/graduation-...tly-eliminated

Come on. Those exams are not even that difficult. If you were in the schools, you would know the increased graduation rates have far less to do with testing and more to do with making it so that everyone can pass. Hardly there? No problem, do a "project" at the end for credit so you can pass. Didn't go to this class? No problem, go to this BS class to make up for the credit.

One way to measure would be to see if more students need remedial work heading into college than before---which, I think a lot a students entering CUNY schools actually do because they are not college ready.