Long Island test results: English-proficient students at 52.5%; math rates higher

Slightly more than half of Long Island students tested, or 52.5%, scored proficient or better on the state's latest English assessments, according to a Newsday analysis, which also found continued wide differences in achievement among the region's 124 school districts.

Proficiency rates in math averaged 58.4% among participating students in Nassau and Suffolk. Results of testing, which covered grades 3 through 8 in April and May, were posted last week on the New York State Report Card site.

Tens of thousands of the Island's students continued to opt out of state tests last spring, Newsday's review showed. However, the portion who declined to be assessed or missed exams for other reasons — about 41% on English exams, for example — was down from the peak of more than 50% recorded in 2017.

Test-boycott epicenter

The Nassau-Suffolk region has been described as the epicenter of a statewide boycott movement that first appeared in 2013, then exploded two years later. At the time, parents and teachers who organized the movement contended that the state's testing system, since revamped, was exerting too much pressure on children and adults alike. 

Testing took another step back in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and forced cancellation of exams. 

One of the region's top academic experts, Lorna Lewis, noted during a phone interview that many parents still lack confidence in testing, and that needs to change. Lewis added, however, there was a strong case to be made for continuation of standardized state assessments as one of a number of tools used in measuring students' skills and knowledge. 

"These tests may not be perfect, but they provide a systematic view of assessing how our students are progressing against the New York State standards," Lewis said. "It also allows us to determine the impact of COVID."

Lewis, who added that schools are engaged in a "long-haul era" of COVID-19-related recovery, is superintendent of Malverne schools and a former president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents. 

Hard to compare

Officials in the state Education Department, which oversees student testing, emphasized results from spring 2023 assessments could not be accurately compared to prior years' results, because the latest tests were based on newly implemented Next Generation Learning Standards. The state adopted those guidelines in 2017, as substitutes for Common Core standards that had become politically unpopular and a target of the test-boycott movement. 

In addition, test results on Long Island cannot be easily compared to results elsewhere in the state, because opt-out rates are much higher in this region. 

Academic performance varied widely from district to district across the Island, Newsday found in its analysis. In terms of math achievement, for example, 16 school systems showed proficiency rates of 80% or higher, while rates in 14 other systems were 40% or lower. 

Results for all districts are provided in the charts that accompany this article. 

Top performers included East Williston and Jericho, both districts with math proficiency rates of better than 90%. In addition, rates of student participation in testing in those districts exceeded 70% — far higher than the Islandwide average of 54.6%. 

'Well-rounded individuals'

Danielle Gately, the East Williston superintendent, said that while her district took pride in students' test achievement, it also sought to develop "well-rounded individuals." The approach is reflected in the district's website, which features photos of students who engaged in book discussions, attended a nighttime technology and coding session with their parents, or attended a Spanish-language theater comedy as part of their coursework.

"We believe that a holistic approach to education not only prepares students for academic success but also equips them with the skills and experience necessary to excel in life beyond the classroom," Gately said.

One district that has struggled with test results is Hempstead, where 23.5% of students were rated proficient or higher in math. The district has been assigned a state monitor to help upgrade its scholastic programs, finances and general operations. 

Superintendent Regina Armstrong noted Hempstead has adopted a plan to improve test performance year by year, and is also phasing in an International Baccalaureate program that provides for scholastic standards at a world-class level. 

"Although our proficiency rate is not as high as other school districts, we continue to make steady yearly progress," Armstrong stated.