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Releases & Statements
An analysis by the Public Advocate's office reveals that while math test scores among all 4th graders are up slightly, there are fewer fourth graders scoring at level 4. The analysis, using State Department of Education data, further shows that in some districts almost half as many children scored at level 4 this year as did last year. Overall, while the number of fourth graders meeting state standards rose 1.4 percentage points, the number of fourth graders scoring at level 4 declined by 2 percentage points. In all, in 2/3 of all districts level 4 test scores are down (see attached chart.)
The Public Advocate's office found that the greatest decreases in level 4 scoring occurred in:
Brooklyn - where the numbers of students scoring at level 4 are significantly down in half of all districts
The Bronx - where the numbers of students scoring at level 4 are down in all districts
Staten Island - where the numbers of students scoring at level 4 are down
Following is a list of the districts with the greatest decreases:
| District |
2003 |
2004 |
| 9 |
14 |
8.2 |
| 12 |
13.1 |
9.3 |
| 13 |
17.4 |
11.3 |
| 14 |
26.3 |
19.4 |
| 16 |
18.2 |
9.8 |
| 17 |
16.6 |
11.7 |
| 22 |
30 |
24.1 |
| 28 |
30.9 |
26.6 |
| 29 |
20.5 |
16.2 |
| 31 |
30.9 |
24.5 |
"The initial reaction to the results released yesterday was positive, but a further analysis clearly indicates that children in poor neighborhoods are not doing well at all and across the city fewer of them are scoring at the highest level, a level we wish for all of them to attain," said Gotbaum. She added, "This is a critical grade. If children do not do well in math in fourth grade, it will be much harder for them to improve math scores in future years. That's why we see such low math scores among our 8th graders."
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