By Dan Murphy
Earlier this month, we reported on the test scores from the State Education Department for the Yonkers Public Schools, which showed progress in the English language arts and math exams for elementary school students in grades three through eight.
The Charter School for Educational Excellence also recently received test scores from the same state tests, which showed CSEE students once again outperforming students in the Yonkers Public Schools on the ELA and math exams in grades three through eight.
Highlights of the test scores include an impressive 92.4 percent of CSEE eighth-graders –meeting or exceeding the standard on the Algebra I regents. Other results show 80 percent of CSEE students in grades three, four and seven meeting the state standard or passing the ELA exam.
CSEE students are passing the state exams at higher rates than the average of all students in Westchester County, students in other charter schools in New York State, and students in New York State.
And in some categories, 50 percent more CSEE students are meeting or passing the state exams in comparison to students in YPS. For example, on the seventh-grade ELA exam, 80 percent of CSEE students met the standard, compared to 24 percent of YPS students, a difference of 56 percent.
On the seventh-grade math exam, 76 percent of CSEE students passed, compared to 31 percent in YPS, a difference of 45 percent. And on the eighth-grade algebra exam mentioned above, 92 percent of CSEE students passed, compared to 24 percent of YPS students, a difference of 66 percent.
In all 12 testing categories, ranging from grades three to eight, CSEE students outperformed their peers in YPS by an average of 40 percent. We highlight these scores not to criticize YPS, which has its own set of challenges to meet and guidelines to adhere to, but to congratulate CSEE in Yonkers for its continues achievement on the state exams.
The educational initiatives at CSEE, whether it be a commitment to learning or a culture that encourages students to attend school ready to learn, are working – and have been working for several years.
CSEE Superintendent Cindy Lopez applauded the teachers, students and staff at CSEE for their hard work in obtaining the top test scores, but added that the school would not rest on its past successes. “Everyone came in happy and ready for school,” she said on the first day. “Our staff is ready to welcome them back and have a great year.”
CSEE also celebrated the inaugural freshman class of the CSEE high school as they walked through the doors of their new school. Approximately 90 freshman make up the first class and were welcomed by Principal Mr. Palmer.
Last year, the NYS Board of Regents approved CSEE’s application for a new high school for 400 students in Yonkers and the surrounding communities. “A school grade will be added to CSEE’s high school each year until the school has its first senior class in fall 2022,” said Superintendent Lopez. CSEE has a
Work continues on the new CSEE high school campus at 226 Warburton Ave., immediately adjacent to CSEE’s kindergarten through grade eight campus. The 1.65-acre property will house a 58,000-square-foot high school building with four stories, a large indoor athletic facility, and an athletic field.
CSEE has a waiting list of more than 600 Yonkers families and students are chosen by lottery.
For more information, visit charterschoolofeductionalexcellence.org
