New York City's public school system, the largest in the United States, is facing stark criticism after a new analysis by the Success Academy charter network revealed that 43% of its schools fail to achieve majority pass rates in math and reading standardized tests. Despite spending $36,293 per pupil, double the national average of $17,619, the report calls the situation "profoundly shocking," with 409,379 students trapped in underperforming institutions.
Report Criticizes Systemic Failures and Misallocated Funds
The 35-page report, titled By Any Honest Measure, details how hundreds of schools have "persistently, systemically" underperformed for decades, costing taxpayers billions annually. It highlights 503 "double fail" schools that fail both math and English exams, many named after historic figures like Frederick Douglass and Albert Einstein, or aspirational titles like "Leaders of Tomorrow."
"Imagine a hospital where over half the patients died from routine procedures," the report states. "No other public institution would be permitted to operate this way.」
New York City spent $40 billion on education in 2024, yet enrollment dropped by nearly 100,000 students since 2014. The report criticizes continued funding for vacant schools and a class-size reduction mandate lacking empirical support. It also notes that 35% of students, around 300,000, were chronically absent in 2023-24, while high opt-out rates on state tests may artificially inflate proficiency figures.
Charter Schools Presented as Cost-Effective Alternative
The analysis contrasts traditional public schools with charter schools like Success Academy, which achieve better test results at lower costs per pupil. It criticizes the city's "ban on new charters," arguing that expanding this sector could serve similar student populations more efficiently. "A city keeping 906 failing schools open at $40,000+ per pupil should question why it constrains a sector with better outcomes," the report states.
The report indirectly challenges Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration, which celebrated the 2026 school year as "incredible" in a video statement. Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels claimed NYC schools leave students "well-equipped" for life, claims the data appears to contradict.
Systemic issues include a teacher evaluation system where 98% of educators are rated "effective" despite widespread student failure, and state policies that replaced the term "failing school" with "struggling school" in 2015 under New York State Education Law CRR-NY §100.19. Parent surveys at failing schools also prioritize curriculum representation of race over academic performance.
The New York City Department of Education and New York State Education Department did not respond to requests for comment before deadline. While NYC's challenges mirror those of other large urban districts, its per-pupil spending remains unmatched.
The report concludes with recommendations including performance-based teacher evaluations, ending "grade inflation," and increasing transparency in student data. "What is missing is not money," it states. "What is missing is honesty.」