Bloomberg has staked much of his political reputation on his ability to reform the dismal performance of the city ’s schools. Education Next contributing editor Peter Meyer examines the mayor ’s progress in the new issue of the journal (spring 2008). Using data from both the New York state tests and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the article tracks changes in city test scores against changes statewide to see if New York City schools are improving at a more rapid rate than schools across the state.

In math, test scores for New York City students have clearly risen during Bloomberg ’s tenure. Between 2003 and 2007 the percentage of fourth graders performing at the proficient level or above on the state Regents exam was 5.6 percentage points higher than that of fourth graders in the state as a whole; for eighth graders that improvement was 3.4 percentage points. The NAEP results show a similar pattern: Average fourth-grade scores improved by 3 points more in New York City than statewide, whereas New York City eighth-grade scores improved by 4 points more than students state-wide.

The picture in reading, however, is the opposite. On the Regents exam, the percentage of New York City fourth graders performing at the proficient level dropped, by a slight 0.2 percentage points, compared to the state as a whole. At the eighth-grade level, the number of proficient students dropped 2.5 percentage points. Similarly, the average score of city fourth graders on the NAEP improved by only 1 point over the state average, and the scores of city eighth graders slipped by 2 points.

The overall pattern in the NAEP reading and math tests is also evident in the city ’s African American students. In math, the average fourth-grade test scores of African Americans students in New York City maintained pace with African American students statewide, and eighth graders closed the gap by 2 points. But in reading the difference between city and state test scores widened by 2 points at the fourth-grade level and by 5 points at the eighth-grade level.

After assuming office in 2002, Bloomberg and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein introduced sweeping changes to the school district, first centralizing, then decentralizing, power. Klein dissolved the 32 community boards and created 10 regional districts, under his direct command. During the next five years, Bloomberg and Klein pushed for more charter schools (starting 45); dramatically increased the number of small middle and high schools (231 of them), enticing the Gates Foundation to contribute more than $100 million to the effort; established a “leadership academy ” (with more than $70 million in private funds) to train principals; and eliminated “social promotion ” in the third and fifth grades.

Bloomberg also put in place a new rating system for schools, principals, and teachers; a financing scheme that would get more money to needier schools; a process of rigorous review of teachers before granting tenure; and more principal autonomy, tied to a sharp increase in the role of private and nonprofit groups in school organization and administration.

Why have Bloomberg ’s reforms had a greater impact on math scores than reading? That cannot be ascertained with any certainty, Meyer says. But he points out that critics, such as education historian Diane Ravitch, have been particularly severe on New York City's reading strategy. Bloomberg ’s former deputy chancellor, Diane Lam, who resigned in 2004 amid a storm of controversy, ended the city ’s highly regarded phonics-based program and replaced it with a whole language-leaning, “balanced literacy ” one. The city spent hundreds of millions of dollars retraining teachers and then ordered schools to devote 150 minutes of every school day to the program. Despite those efforts, critics have been quick to point out that New York City students have, for the most part, lost ground in reading when compared with their peers across the state.

Apparently, however, many New Yorkers are impressed with Bloomberg ’s efforts. A November 2007 Quinnipiac University poll showed that, by a 47 to 25 percent margin, voters consider Bloomberg ’s takeover a success. And, in 2007, the city won the Broad Prize for Urban Education, awarded by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

Read “New York City ’s Education Battles ” online at www.EducationNext.org.