4th, 6th Grade Social Promotion Ends

The city Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) completed one of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s first education initiatives when it voted to end social promotion for fourth and sixth grade students, extending the policy to every elementary and middle school grade.

The vote, taken at the Juniper Valley School in Middle Village on November 12, was applauded by the mayor and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

“Members of the Panel have ensured that students who move forward will be prepared to meet the challenges that lie ahead, and have a much greater chance at being successful throughout their academic careers,” Bloomberg said in a statement.

Klein, speaking before the vote, cited a recent RAND study showing fifth graders performed better under the social promotion policy. “The Department of Education remains committed to providing and improving intervention services and support tools for fourth and sixth grade students who are struggling to meet promotion standards,” Klein said in a statement released by DOE.

Dmytro Fedkowskyj, the Queens representative on the Panel, voted in favor of extending the policy to grades four and six after consultation with the borough’s community education councils. He did, however, express concern.

“I am concerned about budget cuts,” Fedkowskyj said. “I want to ensure that schools will have funds for academic intervention,” he said, referring to the potential impact on programs for struggling students.

“Like you, I am concerned about budget cuts but we will have to prioritize,” said Klein. “I can’t promise money that we don’t have in our budget.”

The mayor has said he will have to cut $550 million in spending for the rest of this fiscal year through June 30, 2010 and another $1.2 billion in the next fiscal year beginning on July 1. On November 16, city Budget Director Mark Page sent a letter to all heads of city agencies asking each department to return proposals for recommended budget cuts by December 3.

The city is proposing a budget cut of 1.5 percent for the Department of Education for this fiscal year and has been asked to eliminate another 4 percent for the next fiscal year, starting July 1. The city is reported to be facing a deficit of almost $5 billion next year.

Klein said that among the RAND recommendations, the early identification of struggling students and the provision of academic intervention services as well as the enabling of academic intervention service providers are key provisions.

“The emphasis on early identification of students who are struggling academically and providing those students extra learning opportunities is a central factor in the success of the New York City Department of Education promotion and retention policy,” said Jennifer McCombs, co-author of the RAND report and a policy researcher at RAND, a non-partisan research institution.

In addition to any new city budget cuts, Governor David Paterson has proposed a $223 million January reduction from city schools. The 2009-2010 school year started off with $400 million less in city funding.