Success Academy excels on standardized tests despite Democrats’ claims
Yet more hard data disproves the Democrats’ line that standardized tests are somehow racist: Success Academy, fresh off the heels of a massive study proving how handily it smashed regular public schools in terms of actually teaching kids, has put up insane numbers on New York’s state Regent exams.
All Success 8th-graders took multiple Regents, tests meant for 11th- and 12th-graders. These charter kids — mostly low-income black and Hispanic students, i.e. the children the left claims simply can’t be expected to do well on standardized tests — knocked them out of the park.
Some 99.8% passed the algebra Regents; 47% scored a 5, the highest mark. In English, 94.6% passed; in biology, 96%.
And younger kids kicked butt too, with Success 7th graders taking the global history and geography Regents and 90% passing.
To put this in context, the pass rate for city high schoolers on the algebra test was 57% in 2022, 65% on bio, 73% on English and 74% on global history.
Meanwhile, the “systemic racism” lie (and pressure from teacher unions to hide the failings of public schools) has led the progressive-controlled state Board of Regents to wage war on the exams, with a series of outright cancellations plus waterings-down of what constitutes a pass.
The board now has a grand commission of “experts” prepping a report to justify axing the Regents Exams entirely, while much of the Legislature plots endlessly to strangle the entire charter-school sector.
Quality education is easily the most important social tool for helping the disadvantaged rise. So how did opposing good public schools (which is what charters like Success are) and high standards of academic achievement wind up as core elements of the New York “progressive” agenda?
