New York Releases List Of Failing And Dangerous Schools
Nearly 2 In 10 Need Immediate Academic Correction
CBS NEWS, September 9, 2004

ALBANY (AP) State data released Thursday showed 713 schools  nearly 2 in 10 statewide  are in need of mandated and immediate academic correction, but not one of New York's more than 4,000 schools are considered "persistently dangerous" under strongly criticized state criteria.

That's two fewer failing schools statewide than last year, created by a reduction in "schools in need of improvement" in the state's five biggest cities and a surge in other districts upstate and on Long Island. For example, New York City has 32 fewer schools on the current list  464 of more than 1,200 total schools  while districts in the rest of the state added 31 schools, according to data required under the federal education reform law known as No Child Left Behind.

The state Education Department also released its annual list of "persistently dangerous" schools. A year ago, the state was criticized for naming just two schools to the list, which didn't include schools in New York City's own grouping of dangerous schools. This year, the state determined no school statewide is persistently dangerous, but called for improvements in data collection that could result in a more accurate evaluation.

Current data only includes incidents involving possession or use of weapons that are greater than 3 percent of the school's enrollment for two consecutive years. After criticism last year, the department directed schools to include assaults, sexual assaults and other violent crimes as well as weapons-related charges. However, the reports were too inconsistent to be included, according to the state Education Department.

The two schools classified as dangerous last year improved enough to exit the list this year, according to state data. The Street Academy reduced weapon incidents from 23 a year ago to five among its 260 students, and the Lillian L. Rashkis-PS 371 K school reduced weapons incidents from 12 last year to six among its 400 students. Both schools are in New York City.

"Every student, parent and teacher knows that there are many  too many  violent schools here in the city and around the state," said Assembly Education Committee Chairman Steven Sanders, a Manhattan Democrat. "The fact that the state Education Department has failed to develop a reliable database methodology to identify such schools is very problematic."

Sanders said half the states in the nation consider rape and sexual assault in compiling lists of dangerous schools.

"Parents have every right to know the number of sexual assaults and rapes, as well as other violent crimes committed at their child's school," Sanders said. "The state Education Department must make that possible, without any further delay."

Education Department spokesman Tom Dunn said officials are proposing new definitions for violent incidents. "We are already talking with the Legislature about these changes," he said.

For families, the lists are important because the federal law empowers parents and guardians to try to transfer their children to better and safer schools. But for the third straight year, the lists were released too late for many families to transfer their children before the school year began.

This year, after two years of criticism, state Education Commissioner Richard Mills said there was enough time for parents to try to transfer their children early in the school year and some schools chose to notify families weeks ago.

"The schools have this data before we do," Mills said at a news conference this week. "They send the data to us, and they are, as far as I can tell, complying with the law. It's the responsibility of the local school under the federal law to issue this information before the beginning of school. The law doesn't say it has to be done on an earlier date."

Some school districts did that this year. New York City, Syracuse, Rochester and some other schools notified parents in July and August. The early action allowed Rochester to make all transfers before school started.

The New York State School Boards Association spokeswoman Barbara Bradley said districts often take time to make sure the data is accurate, to challenge inclusion on the list, and to address the problems in time for the opening of school.

She said she knows of no school, however, placed on the list in error.

"Public school districts are still more accountable to their communities than most other forms of government," she said, noting there are other reports and data that parents can review and request.

The LIST

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