March 2, 2006 Marriott Hotel

1. S C D N March 2, 2006 Marriott Hotel

2. Commissioner’s 2006 Performance Plan: • Increased capacity in the State Education Department • Effective gap-closing strategies and policy implementation • A mobilized USNY

3. As of June 30, 2004 As of June 30, 2005 Outcome Number Percent Number Percent 134,248 2,889 34,548 3,615 23,796 199,312* Regents/Local Diploma IEP Diploma Enrolled Transferred to GED Dropped Out Total 67.4* 1.4 17.3 1.8 11.9 100.0 149,757 4,369 11,893 11,946 32,194 210,159* 71.3 2.1 5.7 5.7 15.3 100.0 The Percentage of Students in the 2000 Cohort by Outcome After Four Years (June 30, 2004) and After Five Years (June 30, 2005)

4. Comparison of Records Reported Through STEP with BEDS First-Time Grade 9 Enrollment and Number Tested on Grade 8 Mathematics Assessment 2000 Cohort 2001 Cohort 2004 STEP 2005 STEP 2005 STEP Number of Student Records Reported Number of Cohort Tested in Grade 8 First-Time Grade 9 Enrollment (BEDS) 199,312 198,512 203,917 210,159 198,512 214,494 199,330 207,315

5. More About This Cohort • These students were in fourth grade in 1995-96 before New York raised standards and in seventh grade when New York began testing the higher standards in 1999. • In Spring 2000, these students took the middle-level ELA and mathematics assessments. • ELA assessment performance: 13.4 percent of students statewide – and 23.6 percent of students in New York City – scored at Level 1. • Mathematics assessment: 25.1 percent statewide and 44.3 percent in New York City scored at Level 1.

6. Findings • Too few students in this cohort graduated; too many dropped out. • Certain groups of students graduated at a lower rate than other groups.

7. 2000 Cohort After Five Years Students in High Need Districts graduated at much lower rates than students in Average and Low Need Districts

8. 2000 Cohort After Five Years Fewer than one-quarter of students with disabilities in New York City graduated; in the rest of State, over 50 percent did so. Almost 1/3 of students with disabilities in New York City dropped out.

9. 2000 Cohort After Five Years Statewide, fewer than half of limited English proficient students graduated. LEP students were more likely than other students to earn IEP diplomas.

10. 2000 Cohort After Five Years Blacks and Hispanics were less likely than Whites and Asians to graduate and three times as likely to drop out.

11. 2000 Cohort After Five Years Males were less likely than females to graduate and more likely to drop out. This difference was more pronounced in New York City.

12. Outcomes After Four years for the 2001 Cohort Snapshot as of June 30, 2005

13. The Percentage of Students in the 2001 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 After Four Years for All Public High Schools Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 Total Public Number Percent Regents/Local Diploma IEP Diploma Enrolled Transferred to GED Dropped Out Total 137,704 3,877 39,384 10,226 23,303 214,494 64.2 1.8 18.4 4.8 10.9 100.0

14. More About This Cohort • These students were in fourth grade in 1996-97 before New York raised standards and in sixth grade when New York began testing the higher standards in 1999. • In Spring 2001, these students took the middle-level ELA and mathematics assessments. • ELA assessment performance: 13.6 percent of students statewide – and 23.1 percent of students in New York City – scored at Level 1. • Mathematics assessment: 26.4 percent statewide and 44.2 percent in New York City scored at Level 1.

15. 2001 Cohort After Five Years Fewer students had graduated or dropped out; more remained in enrolled. New York City students were least likely to have graduated and most likely to remain enrolled.

16. The Percentage of Students in the 2001 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after Four Years for 127 Selected High Schools Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 Total Public Number Percent Regents/Local Diploma IEP Diploma Enrolled Transferred to GED Dropped Out Total 17,856 970 15,651 2,617 7,521 44,615 40.0 2.2 35.1 5.9 16.9 100.0

17. Demographic Characteristics of Selected High Schools and All High Schools in 2003-2004 Characteristics Selected All Percent Eligible for FRPL Percent Disabled Percent Limited English Proficient Percent Repeating Grade 9 Student Stability Percent Certified Teachers Books per 100 Students Computers per 100 Students Suspension Rate 60 14.5 14.2 24 96 79 1,180 13 7.7% 34 13.1 5.8 15.3 98 92 1,452 24 8.1%

18. What Do These Data Mean? • Four-year high school graduation rates are too low. • Many students are still in school after four years; many will stay in school one additional year. • Most students who are still in school started 9th grade academically behind their peers. • Few students are dropping out during the first four years of high school. • If a student who stays for the fifth year doesn’t graduate, he/she is likely to drop out.

19. What Can Be Done?

20. Transition From Middle School to High School • Review and revise professional development plans/Establish collegial circles • Determine student preparedness for high school • Revise 9th grader orientation programs • Discontinue social promotion

21. Targeted Intervention Programs for Students “At Risk” • Establish summer academies for “at risk” incoming 9th graders • Develop an alternative program for “at risk” students • Establish school academies/programs to enhance language and math skills for identified 8th grade students transitioning to high school

22. (Con’t) Student Engagement, Recognition and Support • Establish small learning communities in high schools • Every staff member “adopts” (mentors) a student • Establish student advisories and town hall meetings • Partner with institutions of higher education • Establish student of the month/recognition programs

23. Addition of elective course offerings to increase student engagement • Establish programs to promote student health and wellness and positive youth development • Improve building security • Monitor student attendance and the guidance department • Extend library hours to improve access to technology and study/research support • Increase parent involvement through parent conferences, mailings, PTA meetings • Establish student mentor/intern program

24. (Con’t) Academic Programs and Services • Revise pacing and segmenting of academic instruction • Provide transportation for after-school tutoring • Extend the consultant teacher model • Adjust teacher schedules to allow for common planning time for all teachers • Establish a Word-of-The-Day program • Establish a model to be used by teachers in developing daily lessons plans • Establish Advance Via Individual Determination (AVID) program • Establish a reading intervention program

25. Audit the English as a Second Language Program • Revise/establish system to ensure availability of high quality strategic/performance data • Use data to evaluate programs and to drive instruction and services • Establish a team of Literacy Specialists (or a Literacy Coordinator) to support literacy in the schools • Prioritize literacy instruction • Establish SAT prep courses, honors classes and/or advanced courses to increase high school academic rigor • Establish programs/services to better support students with disabilities and English language learners • Establish in-school detention disciplinary option

26. Fiscal Support/Realignment of Resources • Realign school district fiscal resources to implement multi-year district plan • Review current programs; discontinue less effective programs and reallocate resources to support more strategic, high impact initiatives

27. Leadership • Target professional development for principals and assistant principals • Integrate teachers and administrator leadership development • Reassign/realign the roles and responsibilities of central office/high school administrators • Establish new administrative positions (Director of Secondary ELA and the Academy Director for each secondary school) • Revise school district “feeder patterns” for high schools

28. A CALL TO ACTION Follow-Up To The New York Education Summit November 2005

29. Urgent Action on Early Childhood Education • Make pre-kindergarten universal throughout the State. • Change the compulsory school attendance age from six to five. • Ensure adequate funding to all school districts so they provide full-day kindergarten to all students. • Make sure that early education programs starting with pre-kindergarten are standards-based and research-driven, employ the best curriculum and instructional methods, maximize the integration of students with disabilities with their peers, and incorporate the resources of cultural institutions. • Make sure school districts are able to hire and retain qualified teachers who can teach a diverse group of students with a range of needs.

30. Urgent Action on High Schools • Set targets and measure results. • Make local school boards accountable for high school performance. • Check teacher qualifications and order changes where necessary. • Strengthen teaching, especially in math and the sciences. • Ensure safety. • Engage the public. • Improve achievement among the highest performers.

31. Urgent Action in Higher Education • Increase college attendance and graduation rates, especially among underrepresented groups. Increase the number of graduates in critical academic majors and professions. • Make college more affordable. Increase investment in faculty, infrastructure, and research. • Expand close ties among higher education institutions.

32. Strategies on High Schools • Set targets for high school graduation and measure results. • Make local school boards accountable for high school performance. • Check teacher qualifications and order changes where necessary. • Strengthen teaching. • Ensure safety. • Engage the public and students. • Support the highest performers.

33. Strategies on Students with Disabilities • Produce accurate and timely data, set targets for improved outcomes, and increase public awareness of results to leverage change. • Refocus monitoring to hold schools accountable for improving instructional practice. • Focus technical assistance networks through increased accountability for student performance. • Increase the supply of qualified special education teachers and other staff. • Expand high quality in-State special education options for students with the most severe disabilities.

34. Strategies on LEP Students • Hold districts and schools accountable for meeting improvement targets in English language acquisition. Raise the level of improvement over time. • Increase monitoring to ensure students are receiving all required time and services in English and native language instruction. Report results. The Regents will determine consequences for noncompliance. • Improve quality of bilingual and ESL teachers through new incentives and expanded professional development. • Increase outreach with NYCDOE to provide better information to parents on ESL and bilingual programs that can improve their own levels of reading, writing, and speaking English.