NY: NYC school panel approves eighth-grade promotion plan

Passing eighth grade gets a little harder

New York Times  March 18, 2008

The Panel for Educational Policy for the New York City schools approved a plan requiring students to pass core subject classes and to achieve baseline scores on standardized tests of English and math to continue to high school.  Many who spoke against the plan said that the district needs to fix the middle schools before expecting students to meet standards to go to high school.  The Panel, the majority of whom are appointed by Mayor Bloomberg, said that the students are not benefitted by moving out of middle school  without being prepared for high school.