The Reports Are In

This week the New York City Education Department will issue brand new, detailed report cards for nearly every school in the city. Chancellor Joel Klein has created a quantitative analysis of which schools have improved, which failed, or which haven't changed at all. The schools get a basic summary grade of A-F, with a lot of factors taken into account.

Basic indicators like school attendance, school safety and the ratings given the school by parents, teachers and students make up 15% of the grade.

The level of student success on standardized math and reading tests will count for 30%, and schools can get extra credit for innovative or unusual programs.

But 55% of the final grade will be based on the most important factor: how many students are making academic progress, scoring higher from one year to the next.*

There will be any controversies and political bickering over the reports. Many protests and maybe even lawsuits, as Klein promises to take strict action against failing schools. But we should take the city's word for its data and focus on what needs to be fixed in the system. Its time for action and to fix all the problems, going down to its roots of bad teachers, poor educational environment, poor curricula, and many others.

*Errol Louis, Daily News