Editorial: CUNY graduation rates fall amid education policy changes

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Graduation rates at CUNY have fallen significantly over the past five years, with four-year college rates dropping from 62% to 55.6% and two-year schools also declining. This trend raises concerns about the effectiveness of recent state education policy changes and city leadership's approach, which critics argue have lowered academic standards and failed to address students’ preparedness.

Graduation rates at the City University of New York (CUNY) have declined notably over the past five years, reflecting ongoing challenges within the city’s education system amid recent policy shifts. Data indicate that the overall graduation rate at CUNY’s four-year colleges dropped from 62% in 2022 to 55.6% in the most recent academic year. Similarly, two-year schools saw a decrease from 38.9% to 35.5%. The Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), a three-year undergraduate degree track once praised for its success, experienced a sharp decline in graduation rates from 44% to 34.5%.

The majority of CUNY students come from New York City public schools, leading some observers to attribute these declines to inadequate preparation at the K-12 level. Former Governor George Pataki criticized recent changes implemented by the New York State Board of Regents and the State Education Department, specifically highlighting the decision to eliminate the traditional exams-based Regents diploma. Pataki contended that this move was intended to mask underperformance in many New York schools rather than address underlying educational shortcomings.

Under the new framework, while advanced students can still take Regents exams to demonstrate proficiency, there are concerns that overall academic expectations may be lowered, enabling schools to maintain superficially better metrics despite weakening standards. The state's constitutional structure gives substantial influence over Regents appointments to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who, according to critics, has aligned with teachers’ unions in opposing more rigorous standards.

Meanwhile, commentary on city-level leadership points to limited engagement from Mayor Mamdani regarding public education reform. His appointment of Kamar Samuels as schools chancellor has been met with skepticism, and the mayor’s focus appears to be largely on expanding early childhood care rather than addressing the broader educational challenges facing New York City schools.

The combined impact of these policy changes and leadership approaches has contributed to growing concerns about the preparedness of students entering higher education and the overall health of the city's public education system.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.