COVID recoveryFull briefing
District 18 leads NYC's pandemic math recovery — by a lot
The longer form of the briefing for this story: the original thesis, the supporting findings the data team flagged, and the reporting directions a journalist could follow. For the short version and the data analysis, see the main story page.
Thesis
Brooklyn's District 18 (East Flatbush, Canarsie) added 32 points of grade-5 math proficiency between 2018-19 and 2024-25 — far more than any other district. What changed? And does it hold up if we look at constant cohorts rather than aggregate scores?
Supporting findings
- District 18: +32.4 points on grade-5 math proficiency (2018-19 → 2024-25), n=13 schools.
- Other top districts: D19 (+22.2), D14 (+19.6), D11 (+19.2), D23 (+16.6).
- All top districts are Bronx + Brooklyn — historically lower-performing areas, not the wealthy enclaves of D2 or D26.
- Cohort effect risk: maybe higher-scoring kids entered grade 5 in 2024-25. Need student-level data to rule this out.
- Test-difficulty change: NYS revised the math test in 2023; the citywide pop average jumped 13 points (2023-24 → 2024-25) on the all-grades composite. Some of D18's gain is test-recalibration.
- But the relative gain over other districts is the real story — D18 is +32 vs city average closer to +10. The test change shouldn't differentially help one district.
- Look at year-over-year trajectory: did D18 step up suddenly in 2024 or grow smoothly?
- Pull D18 chronic absenteeism over same period — did better attendance drive the math gain?
- Cross-reference with D18 superintendent tenure / charter expansion / closures.
- Compare to D2 (Manhattan, +unknown) which started near ceiling and had less room to grow.
Reporting directions
- Profile D18 superintendent + recent initiatives.
- Visit 2-3 D18 elementary schools to observe math instruction.
- Plot year-over-year per-district deltas to find the inflection year for D18.
- Talk to NYC DOE Office of Equity about whether D18 received targeted Title I or stimulus dollars.