| Long Island Schools show marked improvements | | | | federally mandated paperwork, and the |
| on statewide math tests for grades three | | | | requirement for highly qualified teachers in |
| through eight. Albany educational authorities | | | | math and science. While most Long Island |
| announced the dramatic improvements this | | | | Schools' educators support those actions, |
| month. Long Island Schools tend to mirror | | | | finding the methods to make them happen has |
| statewide improvements across the board. | | | | been challenging. Fortunately, with the over |
| According to Newsday, Education Commissioner | | | | $11,000 per pupil funding through New York |
| Richard Mills said, "The fact that children | | | | State, Long Island Schools are more |
| are achieving higher standards in the middle | | | | successful than most schools around the |
| grades is especially significant." Long | | | | nation. Of courses this isn't always felt by |
| Island Schools, and many across the nation, | | | | board members and educators of Long Island |
| have faced the challenge of test scores | | | | Schools. Some districts in Long Island |
| dropping in the middle school years. In its | | | | Schools had heated budget debates in January |
| second year of reporting steady improvements, | | | | over trimming the budget and allocating |
| Long Island Schools are up in every grade and | | | | funds. One major area of concern in Long |
| show impressive results. 85.2% of third | | | | Island Schools is early intervention and |
| graders passed, as opposed to 80.5% last | | | | remediation programs. Due to the successes of |
| year. And seventh graders increased scores | | | | the third grade after school homework program |
| from 55.6% to 66.4%. While not all residents | | | | at lessening the need for Special Education |
| in the Long Island Schools district support | | | | classes, Long Island Schools' educators are |
| mandatory testing, these results are still | | | | hoping for funding for similar projects. |
| welcome. New York State has the second | | | | Early childhood programs are also in high |
| largest per pupil spending of the 50 states, | | | | demand, but didn't receive the desired |
| and often shows the results in impressive | | | | funding earlier this year. Early childhood |
| test scores. Even so, New York City | | | | classes are credited with helping low income |
| districts, like the Long Island Schools, have | | | | students better prepare for transition to |
| felt pressure to attain the No Child Left | | | | kindergarten and grade school. Still, with |
| Behind mandate to get all children to a | | | | the massive increase in math scores for the |
| proficient ranking by 2014. Congressman | | | | past two years, Long Island Schools are |
| Steve Israel is pushing for funding for the | | | | showing results the rest of the country is |
| Keeping Our Promise to America's Children Act | | | | still chasing. |
| to help fund the efforts. Supporting NCLB is | | | | |
| costly for Long Island Schools due to lower | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools |
| teacher to student ratios that require more | | | | K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all |
| teachers and classrooms, time-consuming but | | | | U.S. public and private K-12 schools. |