By Kathianne Boniello
Two Queens schools were among a dozen throughout the city this week that had the dubious distinction of joining the ranks of the state Education Department’s SURR list of the worst schools, while one borough school was taken off.
The Schools Under Registration Review list is the state’s way of tagging and identifying poorly performing schools in hopes of improving them later on. SURR schools include those with high dropout rates and those that have the farthest to go to reach state standards in math and English.
There are a total of five SURR schools in Queens, including the two added to the list this week: School District 27’s PS 45 in South Ozone Park and District 29’s MS 192 in St. Albans.
School District 27, based in Ozone Park, appears to have the market for Queens SURR schools as the district is home to four of them. One District 27 school, PS 105 in Arverne, was removed from the SURR list after being turned over to the Chancellor’s District.
Overall, 19 city schools were removed from the 2001-2002 SURR list, while 12 were added, making this the first year more schools were taken off the list than added. This year there are a total of 77 city schools on the SURR list, while last year there were 97.
Schools Chancellor Harold Levy said the trend was a positive indicator.
“While we still have much work to do overall, this list makes, it is clear that we are moving in the right direction,” Levy said in a news release. “This is particularly encouraging, given that the state has raised its standards again this year.”
The total number of SURR schools in the city has been steadily declining over the last several years. In 1997-1998, the number hit a high of 104 schools. The 2001-2002 number of 77 is the lowest number of city schools on the list since then.
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
