New York's elementary school students' reading scores fell across the board this year - but instead of knocking the kids or teachers, school officials put the blame on the feds.
A new federal requirement has compelled more non-English-speaking students to take the tests this year, lowering the overall scores.
Yet older students still saw marked gains - most notably eighth-graders, who notched a passing rate higher than 40% for the first time.
"We have more work to do. That's a point that I've been making repeatedly, but I think it's very important to recognize that the system is clearly moving forward," said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.
Education officials linked the falling scores in third, fourth and fifth grades to a No Child Left Behind law provision requiring states to test more kids who speak English as a second language.
More than 55,000 "English-language learners" were tested this year citywide, compared with 24,349 last year.
State Education Commissioner Richard Mills pointed out that if only students who speak fluent English were counted, the city would see increases in every grade except third, which would remain flat.
Other educators echoed Mills' explanation, calling into question whether English-language learners should be tested so soon after entering city schools.
"We agree that it makes no sense to test these students after a single year of English instruction. ... There is no educational benefit to them," said United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.
Advocates applauded this year's increases in the higher grades - particularly because last year's scores dropped off as kids grew older, prompting activists to call for a task force to improve middle schools.
"This is impressive and shows tremendous success in these schools," Mills said.
The test scores also illuminated several success stories. Public School 12 in Brooklyn - which had the worst fourth-grade average in the city last year - showed the most improvement this year.
The percentage of PS 12 fourth-graders meeting standards jumped to 43.5% from 22.6%, an increase that parents credited to new Principal Nyree Dixon.
"Thanks to her, our children are improving," said parent Yolanda Thomas, 28. "Now we're back on top, thank God."
Grand Concourse Academy charter school in the Bronx boasted a 100% passing rate in fourth grade, a statistic that didn't surprise Principal Ira Victor.
The school has a reading specialist in every class and regularly tests, then regroups, students.
"If we have high expectations for the students, the parents, the teachers, then we succeed," Victor said. "It's keeping it that way that's the trick."
