Dear Commons Community,

The New York Daily News reported yesterday that more city high school students are moving on to college after graduation and are academically ready for the transition.  A record 57% of students from the class of 2016 enrolled in college, vocational or public service programs after graduation, up from 55% in 2015, according to the new figures from the city’s Department of Education.  As reported:

“The DOE numbers also show 46% of students from the class of 2017 met City University of New York benchmarks for college readiness, up from 37% in 2016 as CUNY eased college readiness requirements.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said educators across the city are working hard to prepare grads for college.

“More of our public school graduates are going to college than ever before,” said de Blasio. “That is great news for our graduates and their families, and for the future of our city.”

Public school students’ college readiness and enrollment rates have been climbing for the past several years, along with the city’s high school graduation rate, which reached a record high of 72.6% in 2016.”

Our colleague, David Bloomfield, education professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, was quoted as saying that rising grad rates and college enrollment and readiness numbers are only part of a winning equation.

“It’s good that college acceptance and readiness are moving upward but it’s important that these students are able to succeed in college and not just go to college,” Bloomfield said. 

Congratulations to the teachers, students, and administrators in the New York City public schools.

Tony