New York parent accuses public schools of grade inflation

Adriana Aviles, a former NYPD officer and education advocate, has publicly accused the New York City Department of Education of systemic grade inflation. Aviles reported that her 14-year-old son, who maintained high grades throughout elementary and middle school in Queens, was unable to perform basic algebra or elementary-level fraction calculations upon entering a top high school.

Aviles noted that while her son’s transcripts showed consistent A and B grades, his actual mathematical proficiency was significantly lower. She cited several red flags in the school system, including a lack of homework, lenient grading policies that allowed students to revise answers for higher marks, and a failure to address state standardized test results that had previously labeled his math skills as “not proficient.”

During a recent community board meeting, Aviles confronted NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, questioning whether the department was manipulating data to make the system appear more successful at the expense of student learning. She expressed concern that the shift toward more subjective assessment models, such as the “Portrait of a Graduate” initiative, would further erode academic rigor.