JFK gets a D after probe

Most high school progress reports were released on Nov. 3, but on Nov. 12 the DOE slapped John F. Kennedy High School with a D.

The Department of Education delayed its release to investigate discrepancies in the school’s discharge rate, according to DOE spokesman Matthew Mittenthal.

JFK Principal Lisa Luft said before the data probe the school was on track to receive a C, but after discrepancies were corrected it dropped to a D.

The discharge rate in question, which measures the number of students who leave the school before four years but who do not fall into the dropout category, directly affects the school’s graduation rate. That rate, in turn, directly affects the student performance category on its Progress Report, for which JFK received an F.

JFK is on the DOE’s list of Persistently Lowest Achieving schools and could be phased out. Its fate will likely be decided in December, according to Mr. Mittenthal.

“I can’t control those decisions I can only improve what’s going on in this school,” Ms. Luft said.