Dive Brief:
- The A-through-F letter grades that have been used to evaluate NYC schools will be replaced with a more intricate system, according to NYC Chancellor Carmen Fariña.
- The Associated Press reports that schools will now get "quality snapshots" that assess measures like graduation rates and standardized test scores while showcasing teacher and student answers to survey questions including, "How well do teachers work with each other?"
- The letter grades were implemented in 2006 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and were largely based on test scores.
Dive Insight:
According to the Associated Press, such changes were expected since current mayor Bill de Blasio has been a longtime critic of the letter grades. This new approach is meant to give a more nuanced view of schools that views qualitative factors as highly as quantitative results. Not everyone is buying it, however. Many opponents to the new system — who tend to be charter supporters — believe it is a backward step in terms of accountability.