Accountability · Finding the Right School · School Choice

10 NYC Public Schools Which Went Up In Test Scores in 2019 — And 10 That Went Down.

New York City released elementary school test scores for the 2018-19 school year on Thursday, August 22, 2019. In the past, I’ve listed the Top 10 Schools by Test Scores for 2017, and the Top 25 Schools by Test Scores for 2018. While there is some juggling for placement every year, the top-scoring schools tend… Continue reading 10 NYC Public Schools Which Went Up In Test Scores in 2019 — And 10 That Went Down.

Accountability · Blog

The Entitlement of Opting Out in Suburbia: A Superintendent Speaks Out.

This is a guest post by Raymond Ankrum, Sr., the Executive Director of Riverhead Charter School. It was originally posted here on his blog. I work on Long Island as a school superintendent of the only K-12 charter school in Suffolk County.  Given the history of our school, the power of the teacher’s union on LI,… Continue reading The Entitlement of Opting Out in Suburbia: A Superintendent Speaks Out.

Accountability

Everything You Need To Know About NYC’s Test Scores

Yesterday the New York City Department of Education released student test scores on standardized test scores. What do they mean? It depends on whom you ask. Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said this: “These scores are indicative of the sustained progress we have made in classrooms, schools and districts across all five boroughs,” Carranza said in… Continue reading Everything You Need To Know About NYC’s Test Scores

Accountability

Teachers, Can You Explain This Survey to Me? Because I’m Really Confused.

This is a guest post by my friend and colleague Lane Wright, Director of Policy Analysis at Education Post. He is focused on telling stories that help families understand how their schools are doing, how to make them better, and how policy plays a role. He’s a former journalist and former press secretary to Florida’s governor.… Continue reading Teachers, Can You Explain This Survey to Me? Because I’m Really Confused.

Accountability · School Choice

What To Expect When You’re Expecting a New SHSAT Plan [Part #2]: Who Will Win & Who Will Lose When It Passes

Last week, I dove into New York City’s plan to diversity Specialized High School admissions by scratching the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), currently the only method of admission, in favor of a model wherein the top 7 percent of all public middle school students would be accepted at an SHSAT school, as long as… Continue reading What To Expect When You’re Expecting a New SHSAT Plan [Part #2]: Who Will Win & Who Will Lose When It Passes

Accountability

Why Do We Need Standardized Tests?

Lane Wright is Director of Policy Analysis at Education Post. He is focused on telling stories that help families understand how their schools are doing, how to make them better, and how policy plays a role. He’s a former journalist and former press secretary to Florida’s governor. Every state uses standardized tests to find out… Continue reading Why Do We Need Standardized Tests?

Blog

How To Make Any School a ‘Good’ School – In One Simple Step

We’ve all seen the infamous video by now: The Upper West Side mother objecting to a proposal to set aside 25 percent of seats in New York City’s District 3 middle schools for students who score either a 2 (below proficient) or a 1 (well below proficient) on their NY state standardized tests. The conceit… Continue reading How To Make Any School a ‘Good’ School – In One Simple Step

Accountability

The NYS ELA Exam: What’s Working? What’s Not?

It’s been a week since New York State students in grades three through eight took their English Language Arts exams. As the dust settles and the tests get scored, it becomes more and more evident to me — and I venture to safely say for many other educators — that this standardized test has become… Continue reading The NYS ELA Exam: What’s Working? What’s Not?

Accountability

Low-Income Communities Say Yes to the Test Because Knowledge is Power!

(This post is by Sam Radford, president of the Buffalo Schools District Parent Coordinating Council and a member of the High Achievement New York coalition. It was originally published in the Buffalo News.) Most people are familiar with the “opt-out” effort, a group that encourages parents to withdraw their children from annual state assessments in Math… Continue reading Low-Income Communities Say Yes to the Test Because Knowledge is Power!

Accountability · Educational Equity · Finding the Right School · School Choice

NYC High School Admissions: What the Department Of Education Refuses To Admit

If it feels like I’ve written this post before, that’s because I’ve written this post before. (Think of it as Groundhog Day: High School Edition.) The highlights: September 12, 2016: Can Last Minute Test Prep Bring Diversity To NYC’s Specialized High Schools? September 26, 2016: As a NYC Parent, I Don’t Think the DOE’s Change… Continue reading NYC High School Admissions: What the Department Of Education Refuses To Admit