Area Schools Get Education Department Report Card

A few area schools have room for improvement, according to a recent report card issued by the state Department of Education. The needs-improvement list, which names schools in 13 Long Island districts, had not been posted since COVID concerns spurred officials to lock students out of the classroom.

Released on the department’s website, the assessments were based on standardized tests similar to the Common Core exams students opted out of starting in 2015. The report cards are part of a federal and state "accountability" system that has been reestablished to gauge academic performance for the 2022-2023 school year.

The grading of schools is spelled out in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which was passed by Congress in 2015 to replace the No Child Left Behind Act from 2001. The state education department tried to get a pass on the accountability requirements, but the request was turned down by the feds.

Locally, Longwood, South Country and William Floyd were singled out for improvement. They are among the 114 districts graded by the state, with the majority getting a passing mark.

According to James Montalto, public relations director at William Floyd, the report focused too narrowly on the school’s Learning Center, a special program for about 70 students with disabilities. “We believe this program should be held up as a state model instead of receiving a negative designation,” Montalto said, noting that only 33 of the center’s students participated in the state’s assessment. “However, we plan to continue to collaborate with NYSED and continue to improve upon the great work already happening at the William Floyd Learning Center and across the district, and we look forward to when growth scores are taken into consideration once again.”

The spokesman’s comments echo those of the other districts on the list who said they are aware of the shortcomings identified by the state and are striving to make ongoing improvements.

The state legislature made a huge commitment to Long Island schools by providing more state aid than they received in previous years. Local districts were able to maintain student programs and retrain staff, with William Floyd using some of the funds to give residents a much-appreciated 17% tax break.