FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 31, 2007

For More Information Contact:
Jonathan Burman, Tom Dunn, Alan Ray at  (518) 474-1201
Internet:  http://www.nysed.gov

RECORD NUMBER OF HIGH PERFORMING/GAP CLOSING SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ANNOUNCED UNDER NCLB

A total of 1,658 public schools, 14 charter schools, and 288 public school districts have been named “High Performing/Gap Closing” under the No Child Left Behind Act, Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett and State Education Commissioner Richard Mills announced today. A total of 220 schools, 6 charter schools and 26 districts have also been named as “Rapidly Improving.”

“High Performing/Gap Closing” schools and districts have been recognized because during the 2005-06 school year they met all applicable State standards for English and math and also made Adequate Yearly Progress in English and math for two consecutive years. 

“Rapidly Improving” schools and districts are those that were below the State standards in one or more subjects but showed improvement and made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.

“We must focus special attention on schools that need to improve the performance of children who are frequently underserved,” said Regents Chancellor Bennett. “Today, we are pleased to recognize so many schools and districts in New York that have shown real progress in meeting this challenge.”

“The percentage of schools and districts showing improvement and helping to close the achievement gap has greatly increased since last year,” Commissioner Richard Mills said. “This record number of schools is a positive sign and steels us for the work ahead."

Only schools and districts that had a minimum of 30 continuously enrolled students in at least three accountability groups (the “all student group” plus at least two from among the five racial ethnic groups and the low-income, limited English proficient, or students with disabilities groups) were eligible for recognition as either “high performing/gap closing” or “rapidly improving.” Statewide, there were 3,505 public and charter schools and 684 districts that met the eligibility requirement. For 2005-2006 school year results, the number of eligible schools and districts increased significantly as more schools and districts were held accountable for more subgroups of students.

Under the “high performing/gap closing” category, 48 percent of eligible schools and 42 percent of eligible districts were recognized.  A total of 1,120 elementary schools, 301 middle and 251 high schools were recognized.

Under the “rapidly improving” category, 6 percent of eligible schools and 4 percent of eligible districts were recognized.  A total of 148 elementary schools, 44 middle schools and 34 high schools were recognized.

New York City has 319 “high performing/gap closing” schools. In addition, 30 schools were recognized in the other four large city school districts, 97 in high need small urban-suburban districts, 184 in high need rural districts, 872 in average need districts, and 458 in low need districts.

In the “rapidly improving” category, New York City has 84 schools, the other four large city districts have 22, the high need urban-suburban districts have 35, the high need rural districts have 67, the average need district has 42 and the low need district have 2 schools. 

The schools identified today were most frequently cited for making AYP with White students, followed by low-income and students with disabilities, Hispanic, Black, Asian, limited English proficient, and Native American students.  Districts were most frequently cited for making AYP with White students followed by students with disabilities, low-income, Hispanic, Black, Asian, limited English proficient and Native American students.

            Some schools and districts that showed notable achievement include:

• The Paumanok elementary school in Half Hollow Hills school district had 94% of all students, 92% of Black students and 89% of low-income students achieve proficiency in Grade 3-8 English in 2005-2006.  In 3-8 math 99% of all students, 98% of students with disabilities, and 100% of Asian, Black and low-income students were proficient.
  
  
• PS 159 in Queens had the majority of its students with disabilities achieve AYP in 3-8 English as well as 83% of Hispanic students and 87% of low-income students. In 3-8 math 84% of students with disabilities, 88% of Hispanics and 94% of low-income students achieved AYP.
  
  
• Jericho Senior High School had 100% of students with disabilities graduate with a Regents diploma out of which 79% had advanced designation.
  
  
• Tuckahoe UFSD had a majority of the majority of students with disabilities, Black, Hispanic and low-income students achieve proficiency as well as a 95% graduation rate for its “all student” group.
  
  
• Cornwall City School District achieved AYP in grade 3-8 English and math with six different subgroups: “All students,” Asian, Hispanic, White, low-income and students with disabilities.

A list of recognized schools and districts is available at http://www.nysed.gov

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