Statement of Edward J. McElroy,
Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers,
on Beating the Odds IV, a Study on Urban School Progress

The Council of the Great City Schools today released a report showing that students in large urban school systems continue to post significant gains on math and reading assessments.

Washington, D.C.— This latest set of results once again shows us that urban schools can work, are working, and that others can follow suit if they put in place and stick to commonsense and research-proven reforms. This progress is all the more stunning given how far behind disadvantaged kids, on average, are before they even start school. The CGCS report provides persuasive evidence that when we do what works – by putting in place things like early education programs, high standards for achievement and behavior, well-prepared and qualified teachers, and necessary supports for struggling students -- disadvantaged children succeed.

Critics of public education have chronicled the failures of low-performing schools, but the progress of big city school districts has received considerably less notice. When students in urban schools outpace the progress of other students in their state, as many of them have, it’s not just good news; it should be front-page news.

This report also serves as a potent reminder of one of the main shortcomings of the No Child Left Behind Act: the adequate yearly progress (AYP) measure. No matter how much progress a school makes with its students, AYP only gives credit for exactly hitting an arbitrary target. And since AYP doesn’t factor in how far behind academically most disadvantaged children are before they even start school, many schools (especially urban schools) are being punished despite making great progress with their students and helping to close achievement gaps.

We applaud the good work of the Council of the Great City Schools in fostering and tracking the progress of urban school systems. And we commend the students, teachers, and staff whose hard work and vision are paying off.

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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.