Here comes another heartbreak from the DOE. According to a new study commissioned by the DOE, our kids' standardized tests may not be difficult enough. It found that high schoolers who pass the Regents English and math exams may not be prepared for college courses, and that standardized tests for third- through eighth-graders don't indicate whether or not students deserve to advance to the next grade. But, problem solved, because now the DOE is going to make the tests harder, which would be great in a perfect world. But here, that will most likely lead to lower graduation rates. Which will lead to more of this. more ›

City Council education chairman Robert Jackson was enraged over news that students were getting partial credit for wrong answers on the state math exams. The exams determine which students may advance to the next grade level, and many are worried students receiving partial credit would advance without the proper math skills to succeed. Jackson summed it up to the Post: "Two plus two equals four, not five. You have to get it right. If you are an engineer and you understand the process for determining the size of a building but you get it wrong, that building's going to be in trouble." more ›

Do you enjoy the exotic taste of gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo? If so, you could be putting yourself at risk for simian foamy virus, and it would be just terrible if you suffered any negative consequences as a result of your appetite for endangered primates. Scientists have found strains of the virus in three different species of monkeys that were brought into New York to be eaten. Though they say it's related to H.I.V., it's "not known to cause disease." But the virus's long-term effects remain unknown, and diseases like "monkey pox, SARS, and HIV/AIDS (via human infection with simian immunodeficiency virus) have all impacted public health through the consumption or trade of wild animals," which is otherwise known as bushmeat. more ›

City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein characterized last year's assessment test scores as "good," but critics say that they represent a lack of progress and a failure of Mayor Bloomberg's efforts to reform city schools. City kids' scores stayed flat on national assessment exams in math and reading, with a slight improvement in 4th graders' math scores and a drop in 8th graders' reading scores. "New York City’s eighth graders have made no significant progress in... more ›