Kids Left Behind: 5x as Many NYC Students Held Back

Students face higher bar on state tests

So much for no child left behind.

Nearly five times as many students in grades three through eight are repeating a grade this year, according to the city's Department of Education. The kids now face a higher bar on state tests, which may contribute to the surge in students forced to do the year again.

Director Kim Sweet says Advocates for Children of New York has received an "extraordinary number'' of complaints about kids being sent back to middle schools "that failed them.''

Department spokesman Matthew Mittenthal tells The New York Times that the city is keeping its strict promotion policies.

Mittenthal says it's wrong to promote students who are not up to speed, but he concedes that the school system has "a lot of work ahead.''

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us