Long Island schools struggle under state review spotlight

A recent check-up by New York education bosses found 23 Long Island schools aren't meeting the basic standards expected. The review looks at attendance, graduation numbers, report cards, and how English learners perform. These schools sit in 16 different districts - an improvement from last year when 29 made the list, though worse than two years ago when only 11 were flagged. The state puts schools on this "needs improvement" list when they fall short, forcing districts to come up with rescue plans. Two schools really stood out for all the wrong reasons - one in Hempstead and another in Riverhead ranked among the bottom 5% statewide. Hempstead's David Paterson Elementary took a particular hit because families stopped sending kids to school when immigration enforcement ramped up and rumors spread about closing the school. Attendance fell fast, pulling down their scores.District leaders aren't happy with the state's report findings. They point to recent gains among English language learners and argue those small improvements paint a different picture than the overall report suggests. Some superintendents called the state's way of measuring schools "flawed, " saying their special programs for English learners actually work well. They note these kids often graduate and pass tough exams despite the low ratings. Education officials defend their evaluation methods, admitting no single test can capture everything happening in a school. They acknowledge that hardworking teachers support their students daily, and school success involves more than just test scores. Still, the system keeps using these numbers to decide which schools need extra help.