The New York State Education Department has opened a review of East Ramapo Central School District after district officials reported problems with how graduation rates and Regents exam information were recorded.
According to East Ramapo administrators, the district recently discovered two reporting issues that could have made graduation numbers appear higher than they were. One was tied to Regents exams that were not properly scored or submitted. The other involved the incorrect coding of students who left the district. Officials say 21 of those cases were listed in a way that counted toward Ramapo High School’s graduation rate, even though the students were not on track to graduate.
District leaders said they reported the mistakes to the state as soon as they were found. The New York State Education Department is now looking at the district’s data collection practices to determine how the errors occurred and whether any additional corrections are needed.
The concerns surface as East Ramapo continues to struggle with graduation outcomes. The district has traditionally posted some of the lowest public-school graduation rates in Rockland County and has faced long-standing challenges with academic performance, chronic absenteeism, and student support programs.
Parents who have followed the situation say the latest news adds to their worries about transparency. Some expressed frustration that families often rely on official data to understand how well local schools are serving students.
State officials have not announced a timeline for the review, but the district expects to work closely with the Education Department to resolve any issues. East Ramapo Board of Education members said they want families to know the district is cooperating fully and plans to strengthen its reporting procedures.
Further information from the state is expected once the review is complete.BY: Robert Jowaiszas, Community Editor/Reporter