State Releases School Report Cards

and schools showed mostly steady improvements  in "report cards" issued Friday by the New York State Education Department.

The reports detail enrollments, average class size, demographic factors, attendance and suspensions, teacher qualifications, and staff counts.

 The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires that states develop and report on measures of student proficiency in English language arts, mathematics, and on a third indicator. That is science at the elementary/middle level and graduation rate at the secondary level. Schools or districts that meet predefined goals on these measures are making 'Adequate Yearly Progress.'

The scores of both districts surpass the scores of most public schools around the state. For example, the percentage of Elwood students achieving a Level 4, the highest level attainable on the Grade 3 ELA, was 22 percent. The average statewide is 17 percent. In Northport, 20 percent scored higher than the state average.

All nine schools in Northport and all four in Elwood were found to be "in good standing."

Administrators were not immediately available for comment for either district as they prepare budgets expected to be hit hard by state aid cuts.