In today's New York Post an article identified the high schools with high graduation rates and low "college and career readiness" rates. Not surprisingly, all of the schools are concentrated in two Boroughs. The Bronx and Brooklyn. Many of the schools are themed Bloomberg small schools which suffer from high teacher turnover. The list is found below.
School................................Graduation Rate.....College Ready
FDNY Fire & Safety..................83.3%....................1.9%
Urban Assembly......................82.5%....................3.8%
School For Music & Theatre......89.5%..................11.8%
Eagle Academy For Men II.......88.7%...................14.1%
Law & Community Service........80.6%...................6.5%
Academy For Young Writers.....86.3%..................12.3%
George Westinghouse..............81.1%...................7.6%
Victory Collegiate....................76.0%...................2.7%
Bronxdale...............................76.0%...................4.0%
New Visions Humanities..........86.0%...................1.2%
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However, if one is to break down the school statistics you can find many other commonalities with the schools listed above. Let's look at what these diploma mill factories have in common.
Student Body:
The student body is usually over 95% minority and a high percentage receive free lunch, a marker for deep poverty. Moreover, the schools tend to be male dominated. Finally, many of these schools have a much higher percentage of "high needs" students than the average school in the City..
Teachers:
The schools identified have a majority of untenured teachers and are subject to high teacher turnover as teachers flee these schools when the Open Market Transfer System opens up for the summer..
Chronic Absentees:
All these schools suffer from a high percentage of chronic student absenteeism and student discipline is an ongoing problem.
Unsafe Neighborhoods:
The majority of the high schools are located in neighborhoods that are high poverty and considered unsafe.
The bottom line is that until the schools have a stable teaching staff, s stringent and enforced student discipline code, and a more diverse student body. These schools will be the poster schools for diploma mills that simply push out students who are unprepared for post secondary education and the adult world.
For all unscreened high schools in Queens you can find it Here.
Chaz again I've said this many times . College is not for everyone . Especially for the a lot of our students . You can't blame the students or the teachers . This system is a one size fits all . Which is completely biased and disgusting . Bring back vocational classes in HS and the local diploma . There's nothing wrong with knowledge in traders , to become plumbers , electricians , carpenters , etc . That's another shortage coming across our this country
ReplyDeleteCheck out stats from Bryant HS, Queens NY. What a scam!
ReplyDeleteThey need a drive by through, since they are not educating anymore.
DeleteUse ATRs to Beef up College Readiness
ReplyDeleteI truly feel sorry for these schools, their students and hard working teachers. Friday was my last day at - one of the schools on the list - after a two month rotation. Now that we have gotten our W2s and many are moving on, a new batch of ATRs will take our place. I truly loved this little school and wished that I would have been given the opportunity to give more of knowledge and broad experience in a way that could have helped to get the students more college ready.
As ATRs, better use should be made of us to help the classroom teacher, with individual or small group conferring. Teachers are so busy focusing on the method, with whistles, beepers and stop watches that that they have little time to explain to those students who need the little extra to fully grasp meaning. Teachers are ceasing to give homework; they say students are not doing it. Truth be told, teachers themselves don't have time to grade homework. Yet, grading student' work in a timely manner, backed up by individual and small group conferring can do a world of good in these often crowded classrooms. Instead in every school I go, I am used unimaginatively and fiscally irresponsibly - as a substitute teacher.
It seems the ATR business consumes a 100 million a year. Some higher power should be holding education policy makers accountable for contributing to low graduation rates while 1200 certified and experienced teachers are used as day to day subs.
Forget about Bloomberg era; it's already done. What's important is how are we fixing it? What are you doing to bridge the troubling gap between graduation and college readiness when you ship me out month after month to a different location, like a migrant worker? And the schools that we flit through are going nowhere very fast and the students' future, going south?
Frustrated Tax-payer and ATR
Their response is very simple, hire roving field supervisors to rate ATRS U. A complete sham.
DeleteIt's funny because I was reading Horowitz's Facebook page the other day where all she talks about as well as what her entourage of idiotic supporters are giving her credit for are the improving graduation rates for the renewal schools. I was tempted to say something, but it's not even worth it. Horowitz and these principals only care about the graduation rates irrespective of whether or the kids are academically prepared for worlds demands after high school.
ReplyDeleteCollege readiness rate is calculated by looking at student test scores in math and english on standardized tests including the english and math regents. Also, college readiness in calculated by SAT scores. So, combining the two areas of standardized tests gives one the college readiness score. My question is how do charter schools calculate their college readiness scores since most charter schools do not even take regents exams!! Its all one big sham folks. Trump will not last the term and betsy devos, if nominated will definitely not make it through the term alla kathy black, remember her people...you know...telling parents to use birth control.....this whole establishment is a complete sham but don't tell anybody in your administration otherwise they will scold you saying the school will look bad.....its not about kids any longer its about the schools and their grades!! Hysterical, no wonder pence and trump want to dismantle us....funny thing though, its not the teachers, no way. The problem is in administration including all of our esteemed asst principals and of course our esteemed principals. So long charlie.
ReplyDeleteGiving a thumbs up to Frustrated, you pretty much encompass everything on my mind!
ReplyDeleteI feel frustrated as well. Let me assist the other history teachers, even if I am just there to provide additional support. Only so many times I can roll out to the local coffee shop.
We routinely graduate students at my school with 4-5th grade skill levels. Do we want to do that? Of course not. Can we prevent it? Not really. When we get our students (in 9th grade) they are generally illegal immigrants with (tested) 2nd-3rd grade skill levels, in their own language.
ReplyDeleteMost learn some English by graduation, but some do not learn it at all. Why? We don't teach English in my school as a second language, but instead have the kids analyzing texts (they cannot read) for close reading and all that. It is a miracle we move them 2-3 grade levels up.
The resistance from the students is breathtaking. Most came here to the USA thinking the streets were paved with gold and that a good job and nice life would happen magically. They realize it's tough and sort of shut down and retreat into the familiarity of their cultures and Iphones. Immigration is not serving this country well as we are getting the bottom of the barrel now. We manage to get some into college (community mostly), but most drop out after 1-2 semesters. They would do better with trade schools, but I guess those are racist and that's why they were abandoned by the reform crowd. Sigh...
To 12:54, the problem also includes the poor quality of the students we receive. The lack of basic decorum among the current young crowd is scary.
ReplyDeleteWhat the deal? Is this the last place we're in or the next place or September's place? I've heard all three and that all are untrue. Why can't that bitch Arundel give us some pertinent information?
ReplyDeleteArundel doest not care about ATRS, they want to get rid of ATRS and just hire new teachers.
DeleteCool article! I think it must help students, who ca;t cope with college issues. At least, with some of them. For people, who can't cope with academic writing, it's important to learn some basic rules. You should be responsible and organize your work. If it doesn't work, it's better to look for the best essay writing service UK. I apply to expert writers sometimes and consider it to be normal. Professional help only helps me to cope with deadlines. Why not?
ReplyDeleteThis statistics though. New Visions Humanities - 86.0% - 1.2%. I'm so surprised that the number of College Ready here is so low. But if they want to get into college, they definitely will need to write an awesome personal statement.
ReplyDeleteThanks for collecting data and doing research.
Also, not really surprised about chronic student absenteeism and student discipline.
I think that this statistic is an incredibly interesting for students, but anyway I am absolutely sure that a lot of them just use the best research paper writing service in their educational process cuz nowadays the students are a little bit lazy.
ReplyDelete