Let's not lose sight of the fact that these progress reports are graded on a curve. 60% of schools have to get As or Bs. Also, when exactly was the last time a report done by the Bloomberg administration found anything wrong with the Bloomberg administration? After that happens, I'll take these school progress reports more seriously.

The Department of Education released progress reports for more than 1,100 elementary and middle schools today. The DOE issued a letter grade based on student progress, performance, and school environment. For the first time this year, reports included information about how each middle school’s graduates go on to perform in high school.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said 86% of schools did not change more than one grade from 2011. 304 schools received an A, 421 earned Bs, 365 got a C, 80 received a D, and 23 received an F. The reports also found charter schools earned a higher percentage of As, with 46% receiving the highest mark.

What's your reaction to the breakdown of letter grades at elementary and middle schools? Do you welcome information on whether students are "on a path for college and career readiness?" How did your school do today compared to years past?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

Too much emphasis is put on those letter grades and they are not a true reflection of what goes on inside the classrooms of the schools. The fact that Charter Schools received A's, well of course they would - Bloomy wants to show that HIS schools are doing wonderful things. Let's not forget that they barely have any special ed students, compared to the public schools, they also have half the population and they don't have to deal with lack of supplies, overcrowded classrooms, etc.

My school goes up one year, down the next, up one year, down the next. There's no rhyme or reason as to how it is rated. One year we had an A and the next we had an F from the F we went up to a B and then down to a D and this year we went up again. 25% of my school's population is special ed but we're compared to schools that have 15%; 9%, etc special ed.

Again - doesn't make a drop of sense, but this is NYC's DOE so we shouldn't be surprised.

Jessica, Arden Heights

You see what you want to see if you support charter schools and downgrade public education as the mayor often does, then public schools are fated to fail.

Felix
Bay Ridge

Hi John,

I'm sorry but I just can't believe any reports/polls that this Bloomberg administration comes up with. They just fudge the figures repeatedly. This mayor a dangerous person and all the bobble heads hang in there for fear of their jobs. I am curious to know just how long it will take to undo this mess this mayor created. The ideas are off the wall and another new idea is to suddenly choose an area in Staten Island to put this god forsaken Ferris wheel in their neighborhood. We can't do that in Manhattan. All of these antics are mind boggling and to be quite honest about it very frightening.

Thank you John,
maxxiee
mp

John,

My only comment is that I don't trust any statistics that originate with government, even if they allegedly come from independent sources. And I certainly would not trust anything from the Bloombergians.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

I would give the whole idea of letter grades an "F". The fact that they're still primarily arrived at through the use of the standardized tests continues to infuse the whole process with politics.

Kenn from Bayside

Hello John.

I am a teacher at a school that has once again secured an A rating. While part of me is proud, another part of me continues to be disgusted with this system.

First, somehow that same data -- consistently ranking my school as an A -- also ranked most teachers at the school as average or below average (you know, that faulty data all of you in the press were salivating to showcase).

Second, the system has forced us to spend an enormous amount of time and effort prepping for tests as well as gathering and analyzing meaningless data in order to maintain a high score. I find it amazing we are still able to give kids what they need, because the relentless focus on testing and data has shifted the complex task of teaching away from that.

Sal
Bay Ridge

An Education is not only about only test scores. Education should be emphasizing the whole child including their psychological and social development. Emphasis should also include a childs physical education. Our goal for education should be to have well rounded children who have a curiosity for learning .

Mark, Flushing

Charter schools very often have two teachers in the classrooms! They refer any behavior problems so that the pArents are intimidated into removing their child from the charter...not my opinion of a true, valuable education!! Bloomy is desperate to make them succeed!!

Gin
Brooklyn!

We seem to be o.k. with grading restaurants, vendors, students, and anything else - why not schools? If Charters don't take special needs kids, then why don't we increase the subsidies for those kids? The fact is, higher need kids need higher funding - all kids are created equal, but don't cost equally to educate.

Frank - Sunset Park, Brooklyn

I teach at a great middle School in Flushing, Queens. We received a B on this year's progress report. Our Achilles' heel, so to speak, which prevented us from earning an A was our State ELA scores. Since the vast majority of our students are ELLs or former ELLs, it is only natural that our scores on those exams may not be as strong as those of some other schools with different populations, including charter schools who have the "luxury" of picking and choosing their students and don't serve nearly a fraction of the ELL students that we do.

Gary
Whitestone

I am a NYC public school teacher and for the past 8 years, have watch the system become more and more corrupt. As for the progress reports, one thing many may not realize, are how these reports/grades are formed: if a school performs well overall on tests one year (yes everything is test based, don't get me started) and the next year say performs just as well, they are not showing an increase in student performance, therefore the school gets a lower grade, even if they scored high on the test, same as the prior year. Also, schools are compared with other schools based on demographics, and expected to compete with these schools even if a particular school may have a higher percentage of ELL students or special ed population. They do not factor that in. Therefore, there is no substance to these grades. Like test scores, they mean absolutely nothing.

Parents need to be aware, but instead they are being brainwashed. Now with the mayor's new reform stating every child MUST to their zoned school regardless of their special needs not being met in that zoned school, the classes are becoming one big mess, for lack of a better word. Every child is now being deprived of a fair education. Main point here, parents need to see what is REALLY going on in today's school system in NYC. It is horrendous! They need to see it and do something about it. Once again, the mayor is hurting our society. It is all politics and money. This is NOT about the children. Not one bit. I invite anyone to come to my classroom and see what this new reform is doing to all the students. WIth all the testing, everyone has lost focus on what education is really about.

Danielle
Queens, NY

I do not want to sound bias, but I do see the difference. I had one child in public school since she was younger and with my younger child i started her in charter school from kindergarten there is a huge difference in the education and attention that she is receiving. I am all for charter school education.

G.

I'm watching ny1 about the education system. I'm disgusted after listening to a special educator's comment. She sounds like a general education teacher who is burnt out and has never taken a special education class.. She talks about special needs children. First off if she was a true special educator she would never refer to a student as a "special needs child". She would be educated enough to know that the proper terminology is a child with special needs. We do not lable our children, we are living in 2012 and using people first terminolgoy. Would she like to be referred to as the "supposed special ed teacher?" I think not there fore she should better educate herself before speaking on public tv. In her defense, she is correct in saying students with special needs are often absent. If the DOE was better equipped and could meet children's needs then this percentage wouldn't be so high.

Anonymous