Teachers at Flushing High School in New York City are alleging that the administration is pressuring them to award passing grades to students who are failing in math classes. They argue that some students are receiving passing marks despite a pattern of unexcused absences, a lack of homework submissions, and minimal participation in class activities, as well as not performing adequately on tests, including the national assessment. According to sources who wished to remain anonymous, educators feel compelled to give passing grades regardless of these issues.
Interestingly, last year only about 30% of students managed to pass the New York State Board exam, yet teachers noted that around 70% are still considered on track for graduation.
“I think expectations just plummeted,” one teacher expressed, suggesting that the bar for passing has been lowered significantly due to administrative pressures.
The city’s Education Department announced on January 5 that an investigation into the situation has been initiated, responding to concerns raised by the teaching staff.
In a statement, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) asserted that “rigorous academic instruction is a top priority” and highlighted a publicly available grading toolkit intended to aid schools in creating their grading policies.
Neither Flushing High School nor NYCPS responded when approached for comments.
Some teachers are worried that this approach to grading is negatively impacting the student body. They claim that students who put in the effort often end up feeling frustrated when they see classmates receiving similar grades without applying themselves.
“It’s just unfair,” one teacher stated, noting that students are disheartened by the idea that attending classes sporadically could yield the same results as consistent hard work.
According to a guide from December 2024, the grading policy implemented by the Flushing Mathematics Department allows students scoring a 1 out of 4 for class participation to still receive a passing grade of 65. A student who scores a 0 for participation but does not engage at all would receive a 55, while one who doesn’t attend class would earn a 45.
Some educators speculate that the high absenteeism could be influenced by the predominantly Hispanic population, suggesting that language barriers might prevent some parents from fully understanding the school’s policies or their child’s struggles.
The school has also adopted a Master’s Assessment Policy that allows students multiple chances to complete assignments until they achieve a perfect score and mandates only test revisions for those who initially perform poorly. This policy was criticized for setting a standard where securing a 100 on a single assignment is enough to pass the course.
Students are also not penalized for late submissions or incomplete work. An email from October 2025 revealed that the current grading policy permits students to earn 55 points even if they answer less than half of the questions correctly on an assessment, provided that they answer at least 50% of questions correctly to pass.
The grading criteria emphasizes that “every student’s effort is a step toward growth,” yet teachers have observed that many students put in minimal effort.
If a teacher fails a student, they face pressure to justify their decision and document steps taken to improve the student’s grade, sometimes even resulting in the student being put on a teacher improvement plan.
“It feels punitive,” one teacher remarked, indicating that the administration appears more focused on statistics than on genuine educational outcomes. “They claim to want students prepared for college, but they penalize efforts to achieve that, making our jobs increasingly difficult.”
Teachers who voiced concerns to the administration about these policies were reportedly instructed to pass any students who attended classes, regardless of their assignment completion. Efforts to engage parents, teachers’ unions, and school officials in discussions to change these practices have produced little to no results.
“We want students to be engaged and take ownership of their education,” one teacher insisted. “If they acted this way in the real world, it could lead to significant problems down the line.”
