As New York City sets a record number for public high school students enrolling to post-secondary education, Queens goes even further than the citywide rate, according to a Department of Education spokesperson.
“Our public schools are putting a record number of students on a path to a brighter future,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “Today we celebrate our record college enrollment – a direct result of the hard work of our students, educators and families – and pledge to continue our gains.”
New York City’s Class of 2017 (students who entered 9th grade in the fall of 2014) post-secondary enrollment rate is at its highest at 59 percent for two or four-year college, vocational program, or public service program after graduation, according to the city’s Department of Education.
This is up two percentage points from last year and up eight percentage points from the Class of 2013, according to the DOE.
Queens’ 12,030 students from the Class of 2017, however, surpassed the citywide record with a 63 percent enrollment rate, which is up by two percentage points from the Class of 2016, according to a city spokeswoman.
From the city’s approximately 1,800 public schools there were a record-high 45,115 students from the Class of 2017, which is up from the 43,466 in the Class of 2016 and the 40,641 in the Class of 2013, according to the DOE.
Approximately 48 percent of students in the Class of 2017 graduated college ready, on time and meeting CUNY’s standards in English and Math; that number increased to to 51 percent for the Class of 2018 and was much higher than the Class of 2014’s 35 percent, according to the DOE.
The entire Class of 2017 from Queens had a College Readiness Index score of 54 percent and that went up to 58 percent for the Class of 2018, according to a city spokeswoman.
“Through our Equity & Excellence for All agenda, we are building a college and career-ready culture in every single one of our middle and high schools, removing barriers to college and career access, and giving our students the resources they need to succeed after graduation,” said Carranza.
These college enrollment numbers come a year after Mayor Bill de Blasio set his Equity and Excellence for All agenda, which includes the College Access for All initiative, according to the DOE.
College Access for All eliminates CUNY college application fees for low-income students and made the SAT exam available free of charge during the school day for all high school juniors and works to provide each high-schooler with a support system and resources for a college and career plan, according to the DOE.
The Class of 2017 in Queens had 3,743 students enrolled to two-year CUNY colleges, 4,477 enrolled to four-year CUNY colleges, 1,623 students enrolled to public colleges in New York, 1,434 enrolled to private New York colleges, 605 out-of-state, 124 going the vocational track and 24 who entered a public service program.
“Our plan to create equity and excellence in our school system is working, with more students enrolling in college and ready for college than ever before,” said de Blasio. “We are opening the doors of opportunity to young New Yorkers regardless of zip code, and we are giving them the start and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.”
