Also, some schools use the staff to keep class sizes down, while others use staff for various administrative functions. On average, 70.6 percent of the students in city high schools were in one school for the full year, but in some schools the percent was only 40 or 50 percent. When 30 to 60 percent of the students tested for reading and math attend a school for just a few months, test scores don't tell you anything about the amount of learning that's taking place in that school. A school with half of its kids moving in and out each year is not likely to be one in which much learning takes place, but the schools cannot be blamed for problems beyond their control. The report card also documents what years of budget cuts have meant.
Many high schools have no librarians or counselors.
Eighty-one of the 121 high schools for which report cards were issued have no librarian. Thirty-two have either no counselors or only one. The New York City School Report Card is a good beginning. With some improvements and the opportunity to gather longitudinal data, it could become a valuable tool for the educating and involving the public in the improvement of the schools. All rights reserved.