News

NEW YORK, NY June 16, 2006 —The number of City third graders in danger of being held back next year has fallen for the second year but a greater percentage of fifth graders could be in academic trouble.

Only 9 percent of third graders scored low enough to be encouraged to go to summer school, almost half the rate as two years ago when the Chancellor first started his tougher promotion policy. And fewer seventh graders were performing at the bottom level now that they're subjected to the tougher policy.

But the percentage of fifth graders in danger of being held back doubled to about 15 percent. School officials note that this is the first year with a new state testing system. As a result, they say the city had to develop its own new method for deciding which kids are in danger of being left back so officials erred on the side of caution.