How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the School Quality Snapshot?
In the 2019-20 school year, the NYC Department of Education made several changes to continue teaching and learning for all students across the city during the pandemic. For example, students have shifted to online-learning, attendance policies changed, and state assessments such as Regents exams and State tests for grades 3-8 were cancelled. In response to adjustments like this, the 2019-20 School Quality Snapshot includes COVID-19 changes listed below. You can learn about additional changes to the Snapshot here: Data Explained: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
No overall ratings
All schools typically receive ratings on a scale of 1 to 4 in categories such as “Student Achievement.” For 2019-20, the DOE did not calculate these ratings for schools. Some data that is needed to calculate the ratings, such as State test scores, was not available due to the pandemic. Other data was impacted by new circumstances brought on by the pandemic. You will find a red note on each tab of the Snapshot stating that ratings are not available.
No comparison groups (citywide, district/borough, Comparison Group)
In past years, most test scores and survey results were shown next to the average results for the entire city and district, for example. This year, the Snapshot does not have comparisons. See examples below.
Remote Learning Student Interaction data added
All school buildings were closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19. “Student Attendance” shows attendance from September 2019 to February 2020. “Remote Learning Student Interaction” shows how much interaction students had from April 2020 to June 2020. Student interactions include daily activities that students participate in, like completing assignments, being in an online classroom, sending emails, attending online forums, and more. You can find the Remote Learning Student Interaction rate on the School Info tab of the Snapshot.
No State test data
Due to the circumstances surrounding the pandemic, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) did not administer State exams for the 2019-20 school year. As a result, there are no State exam results in the “Student Achievement” tab for this year. This includes grade 3-8 State tests and Regents exams for high school students.
High school graduation requirement changes: no Regents exams
The June 2020 and August 2020 Regents exams were cancelled in response to COVID-19. As a result, many students were eligible to waive these exams for graduation in 2020. For example, students with a waiver for a June 2020 Regents exam are not required to pass that exam to graduate. With this waiver, students will be able to graduate as soon as they earn all their course credits and complete any program requirements.
Survey response rates are lower due to COVID-19
The NYC School Survey was available from February 2020 to June 2020, during the transition to remote learning. Most years, parents, teachers, and students complete the survey in person in school buildings. With school buildings closed, many members of the school communities did not submit their surveys. As a result, survey response rates have declined from previous years. You can find survey responses on each tab of the Snapshot.
In some cases, the survey results represent the opinions of a small sample of the members of a school community. You should make note of the response rates when you look at the survey results.
For additional information about how the DOE shares data about school quality, please review School Quality Reports and Resources. Return to the School Quality Snapshot.