According to the latest data released by the New York City Department of Education, the graduation rate for high schools in the city has seen the largest annual decline in over twenty years during the 2024-2025 academic year, sparking concerns in the education sector. Experts point out that the gradual removal of policies that relaxed exam requirements during the pandemic is one of the main reasons for the decline in the graduation rate.
The data shows that the four-year graduation rate for the class of 2025 in New York City is 81.2%, a decrease of over 2 percentage points from the previous year’s 83.3%, marking the largest drop since the 2004-2005 academic year. Meanwhile, the graduation rate for the entire state of New York stood at 85.5%, showing only a slight decrease of approximately 1 percentage point, indicating that the performance of New York City students significantly lags behind the state average.
Along with the decline in the graduation rate, the dropout rate has also increased. The data reveals that the dropout rate in New York City for the 2025 academic year was 5.2%, higher than the previous year’s 4.7%.
The New York City Department of Education (DOE) stated that the decrease in graduation numbers is closely related to the cancellation of the Regents exam waiver policy. During the pandemic, students could qualify for waivers by completing coursework due to exam cancellations, but in recent years, related policies have gradually returned to normal standards. The data shows that 53.3% of the class of 2024 received exam waivers, while only 13.9% of the class of 2025 did, a significant reduction.
Analysts believe that this change signifies that students need to meet stricter exam requirements again, directly affecting the smooth graduation of some students.
It is noteworthy that the impact on vulnerable groups is particularly evident. The data shows that the graduation rate for students with disabilities has dropped by 5.5 percentage points to 59%; while the graduation rate for English Language Learners (ELL) has decreased to 51%.
Furthermore, the New York City public school system is facing ongoing pressure due to a continuous loss of student numbers. Preliminary data indicates that the total number of students decreased by approximately 22,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year, indicating that the trend of declining enrollment numbers is continuing.
Despite some improvements in standardized test scores, the overall academic performance of high school students in New York City remains concerning. The Education Department’s data shows that nearly 40% of students still do not meet the standards in reading and math tests.
In a statement, the Education Department reiterated its commitment to enhancing teaching quality and providing more support for vulnerable students to ensure that all students have equal opportunities for higher education.