That's the question at the heart of this controversy:
Thirty-seven percent of the city's ninth-graders last year are repeating the grade, a failing rate that outstrips the state average of 15 percent, according to education data released yesterday.
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said the figure proves that he was right to push a contentious policy for holding back failing third-graders, a plan the Panel for Educational Policy passed on Monday, hours after three of its members were suddenly replaced.
Is the solution just to offer ninth-graders more summer-school course options, or does this suggest that educators in the earlier grades aren't doing what's necessary to prepare kids for high school?
Posted by kswygert at March 18, 2004 11:32 AM