At a glance
New York does not use letter grades or star ratings. Instead, it assigns ESSA accountability designations — schools are either in Good Standing or identified for support — and publishes detailed report cards.
How this state rates schools
New York calculates accountability indicators and assigns a designation: most schools are in Good Standing; lower-performing schools are identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), or Additional Targeted Support (ATSI). There’s no single grade — you read the designation plus the underlying indicator data.
What gets measured
Under the federal ESSA law, every state rates schools using several indicators. They typically include:
- Academic achievementHow students score on state tests (proficiency in reading/ELA and math)
- Academic growth / progressHow much students improve year to year — not just where they land
- Graduation rateFor high schools (the 4-year cohort rate)
- English-learner progressHow English learners are progressing toward proficiency
- School quality / student successAn extra indicator — often attendance/chronic absenteeism, college/career readiness, or similar
Finding & reading the report card
Look up any school on New York’s data site (data.nysed.gov) and its report card, which show the accountability status and the indicator results (achievement, growth, graduation rate, and more). Focus on the indicators and trend, not just the status label.
How families should use ratings
A rating is a helpful starting point, not a verdict. Use it wisely:
- Read it in contextA school’s score reflects its students’ circumstances too, not only its quality
- Look at growth, not just scoresGrowth shows how much a school moves students — often more telling than raw proficiency
- Check the trendIs the school improving over time?
- Look past the summaryDig into the underlying data (subgroups, attendance, readiness)
- Then visitData raises questions; a visit answers them (see our guide on evaluating a school)
Tips for families
- Start on the official portalLook up your specific school, not just district averages
- Weigh growth heavilyHow much a school moves students matters as much as test scores
- Mind the contextRatings partly reflect student demographics and circumstances
- Compare a few schoolsRatings are most useful for comparison, in context
- Pair data with a visitNumbers plus a tour give the real picture
Frequently asked questions
- How does New York rate schools?New York uses ESSA designations (Good Standing, or CSI/TSI/ATSI) rather than letter grades or stars.
- What do the ratings measure?Test scores, growth, graduation rate, English-learner progress, and a school-quality indicator.
- Where do I look up my school?On the state’s official report-card portal (see below).
- Should I choose a school by its rating alone?No — use it as a starting point, weigh growth and context, and visit.
- What are CSI and TSI?Federal labels for schools flagged for Comprehensive or Targeted Support and Improvement.
At a glance
- FormatESSA designations (tiered labels)
- StatusesGood Standing, CSI, TSI, ATSI
- NoLetter grade or stars
- ToolNYSED data site / report cards
- Look up atdata.nysed.gov
Where to look it up
Look up a specific school on the official portal: