News

NEW YORK, NY October 06, 2006 —Seventy five school districts across the state serving almost a quarter of a million students have been put on a watch-list because of the low performance of their special education students. As WNYC's Beth Fertig reports, New York City is among those now requiring more interventions.

Most of the districts on the state's new list had graduation rates below 35 percent and drop out rates above 20 percent for students with disabilities. But New York City is among 17 districts including Albany, Yonkers and Hempstead where the drop out rates were even higher and graduation rates much lower. These districts have been labeled in need of intervention.

The state wants to review the programs they use for identifying and teaching special education students. It plans to help them by redirecting $700 million in federal funds - money it could lose down the road if it doesn't raise the performance of disabled students. New York City says it's already started using new teaching programs with state support. But some education advocates wonder if the state has the resources to help school districts.