UFT: He's Spinning
Klein Optimistic Despite Rise in Failing Schools

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

The number of failing schools in the city grew by 12 this year, reversing a three-year decline, according to a new report by the state Department of Education.

JOEL I. KLEIN: Looks on the bright side.

Fifty one schools were added while 39 came off the list of schools designated as needing improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act. City officials said the decline occurred because three times more children than last year were tested by the state. Overall, 31.2 percent of city schools are considered to be failing, up slightly from 30.5 percent last year.

Klein Sees Progress

"We are pleased that the percentage of New York City schools in good academic standing held steady," Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein said in a statement. "Today's announcement shows that we have made lasting improvements in our schools and need to continue to make progress in order to ensure success for all our students."

According to Federal law, the failing schools in high-poverty areas must now allow students to transfer to schools that perform better, and risk losing Federal funding if they don't improve.

United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said in response to the report that the number of failing schools may be the reason that Mr. Klein "is thinking about another radical reorganization."

A spokesman for the Department of Education said Ms. Weingarten must be referring to rumors about the city's future plans. "I have no idea what Randi's talking about," said Andrew Jacob, a DOE spokesman. "We don't respond to rumor and speculation."

Mr. Jacob added that this was the first year that state test results for students in grades 3 through 8 were included as part of the calculations. In past years, only test results from grades 4 and 8 were counted.

Of the 421 school on the department's failing list, 335 are in high-poverty neighborhoods, compared with 332 last year. Forty five of the new schools added to the list are considered to be high-poverty. The number of low-poverty schools on the list grew from 77 to 86 this year.

Ms. Weingarten noted that the UFT did not agree with the way schools are determined to be in need of improvement. "As we have long predicted," she said, "based on the current Federal NCLB Adequate Yearly Progress formula, we will soon see all schools deemed to be in need of improvement."