The future of our country begins in the classroom. But what does this future look like when performance is declining? As a father, I understand the importance of access to education for all students across all levels – pushing schools, teachers, and students to a high standard, from learning letters to university acceptances. In New York City, our students can accomplish it, but they need the resources and support to do so. In turn, positive educational progress requires elected officials to provide consistent, extensive support to some of the most important professionals in the world – our teachers, educational experts, and staff.
Currently, education reform efforts are high, and the State has reversed the reduction of school budgets and restored millions cut from schools across the city. Despite these efforts, recent test scores may indicate a concerning downward trend in student proficiency, especially for students in stages of prime educational development. Among students in grades three through eight, about half were proficient in reading, down six points from 2025, according to preliminary state test results. Math proficiency scores were relatively unchanged across the city.
The question is this: are these scores just a dip, or is this a downward trend for all students across the city? Although some city officials are celebrating their reform efforts despite this “dip,” we should view this drop as concerning and a call to action. There is no time for celebration when our children cannot read.
The decline among third through eighth graders is especially striking because this range is so important for student development. Third-grade reading proficiency, for instance, is a critical academic milestone that will set students up for success as they progress through the educational system. If students do not meet standards for the necessary reading skills now, they will not be able to fully transition from being able to read to reading to learn and engage. If students never make this transition, they may be denied many opportunities for academic and personal success. We must not hesitate to reevaluate our approach to students, teachers, and educational institutions across the city. Left improperly addressed, declining literacy will follow students into adulthood – limiting their invaluable participation in the workforce, the economy, and our democracy
In annual state tests, students are evaluated using a 1-4 achievement level scale: levels 3 and 4 indicate students who obtain proficiency and excellence, respectively; level 2 indicates students who are below standard but can be addressed in aiming toward proficiency; and level 1 indicates students who are well below standard. Preliminary results show that 138.6K students are one level below proficiency, and about a quarter of students fall under level 1, or well below standard.
These numbers demand a clear call to action. If the majority of students fall in levels 1 and 2, there is a necessity to see how our teachers can productively work with students, especially those in level 2, on how to help them make the critical jump to proficiency. This jump requires targeted, evidence-based intervention: structured literacy programs, dedicated reading coaches in every school district, and extended tutoring. The city must support teachers and staff to implement these programs so students can succeed in the long run. The city has reinstated the budget, but it is not enough – we must re-evaluate what really works in the classroom.
We should look to past successes and proven educational models, working with teachers and other educational experts to devise a clear plan to engage students in literacy. With support and guidelines, we can work with teachers to expand programs and effectiveness that works. We need to provide coordinated, multi-agency support to our schools to restore discipline in the classroom and create a safer, more focused learning environment for every student.
This, indeed, will make more students stronger in the workplace and in our communities because they have the confidence and independence to think and understand for themselves, especially amid the era of heightened AI use. It is now more important than ever to give students the resources to become independent thinkers, and it begins in the classroom.
Tom Sullivan is the Republican candidate for the New York State Assembly in District 23.
