A new study analyzing students affected by school closures in New York City reveals that many of the 33,000 students registered at high schools that were closed since 2000 have either dropped out, failed to graduate, or were discharged.
Produced by the Urban Youth Collaborative in New York City and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, the report, released earlier this month, also indicates that the city’s school improvement policy should implement major initiatives to transform struggling schools instead of shutting schools down.
Students affected by the closures were reportedly more likely to be from low-income black and Latino homes and to represent students with special needs. For instance, 21 percent of the students were English-language learners, compared with 13 percent of students citywide, while 46 percent of the students were overage for grade compared with 29 percent of students citywide.
The study also highlights policy recommendations made by students who say they are excluded from decisions about their education. They suggested developing a college-preparatory curriculum, addressing students’ special needs, and forming community partnerships to ensure academic success.
