YONKERS, NY — December19, 2014 — Yonkers Public Schools achieved a strong increase in graduation rate as of August 2014. The New York State Education Department released the statewide 2010 Cohort data on Thursday, December 18, 2014 . Yonkers’ high schools graduating rate is up to 76% districtwide for 2014, an increase of 4% from 2013.
“The District growth is significant this year,” stated Board of Education President Dr. Nader J. Sayegh. There is an 8% growth since the 2006 cohort which increased 4% in 2007 and remained level at 72% for cohorts 2008 and 2009. Dr. Sayegh noted, “the data confirms our administrators and teachers are implementing strategies that are working.”
The pattern of high percentage gains for on-time graduates is validated when comparing the Cohort 2010 – Class of 2014 to the Cohort 2009 – Class 2013:
o Female graduates + 4% to 80%
o Male Graduates + 3% to 72%
o Black or African American Graduates + 3% to 67%
o Hispanic or Latino Graduates + 3% to 76%
o Asian or Pacific Islander Graduates + 6% to 93%
o White + 1% to 80%
o Students with Disabilities + 9% to 48%
The Aspirational Performance Measure (APM) increased from 9.7% to 14.8%. “While much work remains to be done, the significant 5.1% increase in the number of students who met this demanding demonstration of College and Career Readiness shows we are moving in the right direction,” stated Dr. Michael Yazurlo, Superintendent of Schools.
“I’m confident that there is a connection between the gains in the graduation rates and APM and our emphasis with administrators and teachers engagement with student achievement data,” according to Superintendent Yazurlo. “Administrators will continue to analyze subgroup data to design additional strategies for improving outcomes for all students.”
Comments 5
If you really care about intercity education, every child should have the same quality education as other schools in Westchester. Every child should have an opportunity to have extra help in school and after school. The city cut programs and never returned the services to help the children. Our kids need smaller sized classrooms, more computers for each student. Our students need extra guidance counselors in every school, tutors, sports, music in every school with full time math and reading labs in every school.
What elected officials have children in the public schools?
Baby’s
There are 16 sini schools at present according to the State Ed Dept
(schools in need of improvement) The students are entitled to reading and math labs in every school under title one but alas these programs have been cut in half. Many programs and services were cut and not returned.
Many teachers are unable to help the children as they wish they could. Many teachers are doing double duty covering two or more schools. Guidance counselors were removed five years ago and never returned to the elementary schools. Pre-k classes were cut to one or two per school and are still half day part time program.
That is great-the fact of the matter is that only approx 9% are college ready-so what the YBE is producing is functional illiterates.