Public School 14/Cornelius Vanderbilt

An elementary school in Staten Island could be closed if it doesn’t turn its performance around, after it posted standardized test scores in math and English that are about half the state average.

Public School 14 / Cornelius Vanderbilt made it onto the list of 20 schools the city might axe, according to the New York Daily News.

In the last round of assessment tests, P.S. 14 had dramatically low percentages of students who demonstrated a proficient level of understanding in math and English language arts (ELA). For instance, only 27.4 percent of 3rd graders scored well enough to be called proficient. The statewide average is 55.9 percent.

On the plus side, P.S. 14 is the only Staten Island school on the list. Most of the troubled schools – 12 out of 20 – are in Brooklyn. Four are in the Bronx and two are in Queens. Manhattan also has just one.

The News says officials are meeting with school administrators and parents to decide whether to close down facilities or try to fix them.

A full contrast of P.S. 14 and statewide averages follows (Source – the State Department of Education):