NY State Comptroller Report Shows High School Students Not Ready for College

According to a report compiled by the New York State comptroller’s office, a significant number of students graduating from the public school system do so while not ready to participate in a college education.

The report, released on Tuesday, October 4th, focused on the 2019 academic year, before the COVID-19 pandemic. It showed that of all the students in the city, only 77% graduated from high school. While 63% of all students went to college, only 57% were ready to participate in tertiary education. This was based on the length of time it took for the students to graduate as well as their performances in state proficiency tests.

The students’ lack of readiness for college is further highlighted by statistics that show that 37% of college-going students dropped out after the first semester.

“We found the DOE [Department of Education] should do more to prepare students to be college ready,” the report said. “DOE should do more to help students gain the proficiency levels needed to enroll and persist in a post-secondary institution, and this preparation should begin much earlier in students’ school years.”

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The report showed that approximately 80% percent of students who failed to graduate at the expected date were Black or Hispanic. Some of the students in some regions of New York, such as District 23, struggled to graduate on time.

“The DOE must make sure students are ready for their next steps after high school and should prioritize elementary and middle school intervention in city school districts where large numbers of students do not graduate high school,” said State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

The report focused on the 2019 academic year but it has also shown that those students who graduated in the years following 2019 were also not ready for college. The Department of Education has taken note of the problem, planning on solving it by introducing a variety of programs to improve education and preparation for college.

This includes offering AP courses, “bridge-to-college” and early college credit programs. “This administration is deeply committed to continuing to strengthen the path from high school to college and good-paying careers,” DOE spokesperson Nicole Brownstein said.