The Bloomberg administration has approved the new promotion policy that requires next year’s eighth graders to pass core courses and score at a basic level on English and Math standardized exams. The Panel for Education Policy approved the proposal of the new policy by a vote of 11 to 1 during its meeting at Tweed Courthouse.

According to Bloomberg’s Big Boast, NYC eighth graders have risen their math scores since 1999.

From 1999 – 2004, NYC scores on the city math exam have risen 10.6 % points. In 1999 31.9% of students passed the city math exam In 2004 42.5% of NYC students passed the city math exam Over half of NYC students in grades 3,5,6 and 7 are still failing math.

The New York Times reports that unlike the parents of eight-graders, who think this new policy can prevent middle school students from going to high schools, NYC state officials consider it to be very important.

One of the key criticisms of grade retention policies is that they demoralize students to the point that they may be more likely to drop out. Some parents say this could be a particularly acute problem for eighth graders who are told they cannot advance to high school. The eighth-grade proposal could also affect more students; last year, officials said, 17,974 eighth graders received the lowest possible scores on their English or math exams or failed a core course, but only 1,300 were held back.

The paper quotes Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, defending the new promotion policy.

“Our job is not to move a kid out of middle school; our job is to move a kid from middle school to high school, prepared for high school.”

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