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Measuring the Quality of NYC Schools. PMI Westchester Quality SIG March 10, 2015 Richard Ferricane, PMP. NYC Schools ( FY 2014 data; source NYC Mayor’s Management Report). Chancellor: Carmen Farina Former teacher, principal, and Deputy Chancellor (2004 – 2006) 1,000,000+ students
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Measuring the Quality of NYC Schools PMI Westchester Quality SIG March 10, 2015 Richard Ferricane, PMP
NYC Schools (FY 2014 data; source NYC Mayor’s Management Report) • Chancellor: Carmen Farina • Former teacher, principal, and Deputy Chancellor (2004 – 2006) • 1,000,000+ students • English Language Learners (ELLs): 154,000 • Special Education Students: 250,500 • 1,800 schools • 75,000 teachers • Average daily attendance: • 93.2% (grades 1 – 8) • 87.8% (HS) • Grades 1- 9 promotion rate: 94.7% • HS graduation rate: 68.4%
DOE Services and Goals • Educate New York City’s children. • Improve academic achievement. • Promote parental involvement in education. • Support children with special needs. • Improve the ability of English Language Learners to learn English and improve academic progress. • Improve the ability of students with disabilities to progress academically and socially. • Prepare children to become productive, engaged adults. • Increase the percentage of high school graduates enrolling in postsecondary education or training. • Increase the percentage of elementary, middle and high school students taking coursework that prepares them for future success. • Maintain and enhance the City’s educational facilities. • Work with School Construction Authority to design, construct, modernize and repair durable, functional and attractive educational facilities, on schedule and within budget.
Measuring the Quality of a School How school quality is measured and communicated was changed significantly under the de Blasio – Farina administration. This discussion focuses on the changes to measuring the quality of a school, specifically: • Changes in underlying philosophy • Changes in quality measurements
Why the changes? • De Blasio frequently criticized his predecessor’s (Michael Bloomberg) emphasis on test scores. • Revamping school evaluations was a prominent campaign pledge during deBlasio’s campaign for mayor. • The major complaints about the Bloomberg School Progress Report from parents and educators were: • The single-letter score was too simplistic and didn’t accurately portray the many facets of the state of the school. • Scores for individual schools fluctuated widely for no apparent reason.
What changed? The new school evaluations under Chancellor Farina: • De-emphasize test scores in favor of measures such as: • Strength of the curriculum • School environment • Eliminate single, overall “A” through “F” ratings. • Under the Bloomberg administration, 85% of the overall letter grade was based on test scores. • These Progress Reports were used since 2006. • Make school quality data easier for parents to understand. • The Bloomberg era Progress Report (8 pp) was replaced with the de Blasio era: • School Quality Snapshot (target audience: parents; 3 pp) • School Quality Guide (target audience: education leaders; 16 – 18 pp) [See handouts.]
Handouts We’re Looking At • School Progress Report (Bloomberg administration) • School Quality Snapshot (de Blasio) • School Quality Guide (de Blasio) • NYC School Survey (de Blasio, Bloomberg)
Discussion • General impressions about these quality reports. • If you were a NYC parent, which one would you prefer? • School Quality Guide or … • Progress Report ? • What lessons are there here for project managers?