Concerns are rising among educators in New York City regarding the Department of Education's potential inflation of graduation rates. A joint investigation by Chalkbeat and the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism suggests that students failing courses are being advanced to the next grade without meeting the established criteria.
This report follows NYC's February announcement of a 2.5% increase in its graduation rate compared to the previous year, exceeding national trends. The investigation indicates that students at risk of failing were assigned an "NX" grade, signifying "course in progress," allowing them to make up the coursework with less rigorous standards than the original curriculum. Teachers who spoke with the investigators described the revised material as inadequate.
David Bloomfield, an education professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, characterized this practice as a lack of transparency. While the "NX" grading system was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to address remote learning difficulties, its continuation raises questions. Bloomfield suggests the system was leveraged to create a misleading impression of student performance rather than addressing their actual needs. He argues that the Department of Education prioritized presenting a positive image of the district's success over adequately supporting its students. The core issue, according to Bloomfield, lies not in the initial assignment of "NX" grades, but in the lack of substantial follow-up with meaningful coursework.
The report reveals that approximately 30% of students facing failure had their grades converted to "NX." Upon completion of the revised coursework, the "NX" is removed from their records.
Bloomfield criticizes the practice as lowering an already low bar. Chalkbeat's investigation also uncovered accounts from K-12 teachers who felt pressured to pass students despite concerns about their subject matter comprehension. One Brooklyn science teacher alleged being instructed by their principal to pass all middle school students, regardless of attendance or performance, and discouraged from issuing "NX" grades.
In response to these allegations, the NYC DOE stated that the "NX" policy didn't alter graduation requirements and attributed changes during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years to modifications by the State Board of Regents affecting the entire state. The DOE further noted that the State Board of Regents has since reinstated standard graduation requirements.
