To a packed crowd at Lincoln High School, Superintendent, Arlene Ackerman reveled in the latest achievement for the city's public schools.
This year, more than half reached "Adequate Yearly Progress," a measurement under the No Child Left Behind Act using standardized testing.
"More schools made it this year than last year and 10 never made AYP before," Ackerman said.
But as officials celebrate the progress, education advocates like Gerald Wright from Parents United for Public Education says it's still not enough.
"We should not lose sight of the fact that the other half of the kids, the other half of the schools, are not in that position," Wright said.
He says there are still too many schools out there with students who still can't read and write, schools that need individual help.
"We have schools like Germantown High School, Simon Gratz, any of the comprehensive high schools, you can look at them, but you have to look at them specifically," Wright said.
But principals like Stephanie Ressler, who has been able to get Roosevelt Middle School on AYP for the last two years, brings hope.
"I'm feeling fantastic, I really truly am because for years our children have been under-achieving and our kids are going to be continuing on this path; before, we had the ingredients, now we have the tools to really build greatness," Ressler said.
109 schools did not make AYP this year, a list the school district was not able to provide to us.
The superintendent promises they'll get extra attention in the coming school year.
