STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES
SCHOOLS IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT

            The State Education Department today announced the list of public schools that are in need of improvement under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). All of these schools receive Title I funds and must take a variety of actions under federal rules, such as providing choice or tutoring or going through corrective action or restructuring.

            In addition, the Department announced a list of schools that need to make progress but did not receive Title I funds in at least one of the past two years and are not subject to federal accountability rules.  Under State rules, these schools are required to develop a plan for improvement in the area(s) for which they are identified.

            A total of 503 schools statewide are listed as in need of improvement under Title I rules. (Schools in the Big 5 Cities were also announced last week.) Last year there were 530 schools.

In addition, 210 other schools not subject to Title I improvement requirements have been identified under State rules. Last year there were 188 schools.

Schools are being held accountable for the achievement of students of different races and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and low-income students. They must also have 95% of their students participate in the English and Math tests.

Some of the schools newly identified today as needing improvement have educational programs that have produced good results for many students. However, the schools have not improved achievement sufficiently for other students, most often students with disabilities.  In other cases, not enough students participate in required State tests.

State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said, “Our focus needs to be on the children. We need to do everything possible to help them achieve the standards. The information released today will help many schools take a closer look at the children who still need more help.

Under NCLB, Title I schools are designated as in Good Standing, in Need of Improvement (Year 1), in Need of Improvement (Year 2), in Corrective Action, In Planning for Restructuring, or in Restructuring.

Under State rules, other schools (non-Title I) are designated as Requiring Academic Progress.

The most recent State test data used to make these determinations are from the 2003-2004 school year.

Title I Schools In Need of Improvement (Year 1): New York’s approved NCLB accountability plan requires that schools receiving Title I funds that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years in the same subject and grade be designated as Schools In Need of Improvement. Among other requirements, these schools are required to offer public school choice. 

Title I Schools in Need of Improvement (Year 2): Once identified, schools that continue to receive Title I funds and that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress the next year are required to continue to provide public school choice and must also offer eligible students supplemental educational services.  These services are provided outside of regular school hours by an organization selected by the parent from a list of qualified providers approved by the State Education Department.

Corrective Action: If Title I schools identified as in Need of Improvement (Year 2) continue not to make Adequate Yearly Progress, they are identified for Corrective Action. In addition to offering choice and supplemental services, these schools must also implement at least one of a menu of options for action specified under NCLB.  These are:

·        replace school staff who are relevant to the failure to make AYP

·        institute a new curriculum

·        decrease management authority at the school

·        appoint an outside expert to advise the school

·        extend the school day or school year

·        restructure the internal organization of the school.

Planning for Restructuring: Schools that were in Corrective Action during the 2003-04 school year that failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress must now use the 2004-05 school year to develop a plan for restructuring the school.

Restructuring: Schools that were required to develop a restructuring plan during the 2003-04 school year and that failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress last year must now implement their restructuring plans at the beginning of the 2004-05 school year.

Schools in both the planning for restructuring and restructuring phases must continue to offer public school choice as well as supplemental educational services to eligible students. An explanation of restructuring can be found at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/nclb/accountability/restructuringguidance.htm.

To be removed from identification and returned to “Good Standing” a school must make Adequate Yearly Progress for two consecutive years on all criteria for which it was identified.

In addition, some schools are identified as needing to make progress and do not fall under federal rules:

Schools Requiring Academic Progress: Some schools did not receive Title I funds and therefore do not fall under the provisions of NCLB school accountability. However, they fall under State regulations set by the Board of Regents. These schools are required to develop improvement plans in the area for which they are identified. However, Schools Requiring Academic Progress are not required to offer public school choice or supplemental educational services.

Totals:

There are – in New York City –76 Schools In Need of Improvement (Year 1), 74 Schools In Need of Improvement (Year 2), 32 schools in Corrective Action, 83 schools in Planning for Restructuring, and 80 schools in Restructuring.

In addition, 119 schools were listed as Requiring Academic Progress. 

There are – outside of New York City  -- a total of 67 Schools In Need of Improvement (Year 1), 51 Schools In Need of Improvement (Year 2), 24 schools in Corrective Action, 7 schools in Planning for Restructuring, and 9 schools in Restructuring.

In addition, 91 schools are listed as Requiring Academic Progress. 

For the 2004-2005 school year, schools could be identified for Title I Improvement or as Requiring Academic Progress based on Grade 4 and 8 English, mathematics, and science results, the performance of the 2000 high school cohort in English and mathematics, and the performance of the 1999 high school graduation cohort. Title I Schools in Need of Improvement receive additional funding and technical assistance from the Department to help them improve student performance.

The performance of disaggregated groups of students (racial/ethnic groups, students with disabilities, limited English proficient students, and low-income students) during the 2003-2004 school year was a major factor in determining whether schools made Adequate Yearly Progress.  Also for the first time, high schools were subject to a “95%” participation requirement. If any group of students for which the school was accountable did not have 95% of students participate in the required assessments, then the school could not make AYP on that accountability criterion.  Elementary and middle schools were subject to “95%” participation requirement beginning with 2002-03 school year results.

            School districts were notified last month regarding the accountability status of their schools and given an opportunity to verify the data used to make accountability determinations. School districts must now ensure that identified schools develop improvement plans, provide public school choice and supplemental educational services to students as required, and notify parents and the public about the actions that will be taken to improve student performance in selected schools.

            As of now, the State Education Department has approved 176 providers of supplementary educational services for parents to choose from; many of these providers have multiple sites across the State. More providers will be added in the next few weeks.

            Information on New York’s accountability system is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/nclb/accountability.htm.

            Lists of the categories of schools and information about these designations are attached. All schools newly identified this year are also listed separately, along with the reason for their designation.

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• Press Release                                            •  Schools Requiring Academic Progress Year 1

• SINI Schools Year 1                                    •  Schools Requiring Academic Progress Year 2

• SINI Schools Year 2                                    •  Schools Requiring Academic Progress Year 3, 4, 5

• Corrective Action, Planning for Restructuring, or Restructuring

• Newly Identified Schools in Need of Improvement, Causes for Identification