Success Academy Says 409,379 NYC Students Attend 906 Low-Passing Schools as State Touts Gains
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Success Academy Says 409,379 NYC Students Attend 906 Low-Passing Schools as State Touts Gains
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Summary
409,379 New York City public school students attend 906 schools where fewer than half of students passed state math or reading exams, according to a new Success Academy analysis.
503 of those schools had a majority of students fail both subjects, the charter network said, arguing the results undercut New York State's recent claim of "meaningful signs of improvement."
The report also targeted spending, noting the city spent about $40 billion on public education in fiscal 2024—$36,293 per pupil—while criticizing class-size mandates and underused schools as costly misallocations.
About 300,000 students, or 35% of the system, were chronically absent, adding to the academic strain highlighted in the report.
NYSED and NYC Public Schools rejected the findings as misleading and selective, saying public data already show recent reading and math gains across schools and student groups.
Why does double the national funding not prevent nearly half of NYC's public schools from reportedly failing?
With NYC enrollment dropping, is building new classrooms the best use of billions in education funds?
Is the new class-size mandate a vital investment or a costly barrier to fixing New York's failing schools?
906 NYC Schools Failing in 2026: Report Exposes Systemic Accountability and Transparency Crisis
Overview
The 2026 Success Academy report reveals that New York City public schools are facing a severe crisis, marked by widespread underperformance and a system that puts its own survival above student achievement. The report argues that the main problem is not funding, but a lack of honesty in how schools are measured and reported, with official definitions of success hiding the true extent of failure. This lack of transparency and accountability allows failing schools to persist, creating an urgent need for honest assessment and real consequences to ensure students receive the education they deserve.