Chronic Absenteeism Rates Increased Sharply
A new report by State Comptroller DiNapoli details how chronic absenteeism rates among New York public and charter school students increased sharply as schools transitioned back to in-person learning after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided and remained high with nearly one in three students chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year. The rates were highest for high school students at 34.1%, 7.6 percentage points higher than elementary and middle school students.
“Chronic absenteeism has been linked to lower grades, lower standardized test scores, and increased risk of dropout,” DiNapoli said. “Students who chronically miss classroom time often fall behind. Reducing chronic absenteeism will be essential for turning around pandemic-era learning loss. School districts need to engage students, families, and their communities to address this troubling issue.”
Unsafe Conditions Found at
NYC Housing Complexes
Unsafe conditions and over $1 million in questionable spending at three affordable housing complexes show a need for greater oversight of the Mitchell-Lama program by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, according to an audit released by State Comptroller DiNapoli. Auditors found broken fire safety doors, mold, collapsed ceilings and pest infestations among other unsafe conditions at developments in Manhattan, Queens and on Staten Island.
“Every New Yorker deserves safe and clean affordable housing,” DiNapoli said. “The conditions identified in this audit are unacceptable. The City needs to do a much better job overseeing the Mitchell-Lama program and ensure funding for these buildings goes toward their maintenance.”
DiNapoli Announces Latest Fiscal Stress Scores
A total of 14 local governments in New York State ended their fiscal year 2023 with a fiscal stress designation, the same as a year ago, according to a report released by State Comptroller DiNapoli. These designations were based on the State Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System scores, including eight that were released this week.
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