ALBANY, N.Y. Feb. 7, 2018 — New York State United Teachers today said a nearly 12 point increase in the state graduation rate over the last decade and a narrowing achievement gap reflect the incredible dedication and professionalism of teachers and staff. NYSUT said a sustained investment in state aid is needed to continue that incredible progress.
NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said the half-point increase in New York’s graduation rate to 80.2 recent — and a 1.9 increase in the August graduation rate to 82.1 percent — are “clear signs that robust increases in state aid over the last few years are benefitting students and New York’s high-quality public education system.”
“Rising graduation rates show the positive effects of strong state aid increases that are coupled with tremendous work by educators and staff,” Pallotta said. “In order to maintain this momentum, the state must fully meet the needs of school districts in this year’s budget.”
Pallotta also noted signs the achievement gap is narrowing. “This is real, measurable progress but we will not rest until the achievement gap has been totally wiped away,” he said.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.