WHOLE CHILD WHOLE SCHOOL WHOLE CITY

AN EDUCATION ROADMAP FOR THE NEXT MAYOR

NYC

About A+ NYC
A+ NYC is a coalition of 50 of the citys strongest nonprofit advocacy, youth-service and community based organizations that have come together to build a new vision for New York City public schools under the next administration. The coalitions activities have included providing research-based summaries of educational issues in an online clearinghouse called the Policy Hub and raising the voices of students and parents in the process of improving their schools through PS 2013: Shaping an Education Agenda for the Next Mayor. For more information, please visit: www.aplusnyc.org.

A+ NYC Coalition members

A Young Mothers D.R.E.A.M
youngmothersdream.org

Community Service Society

cssny.org

Neighborhood Family Services Coalition

nfsc-nyc.org

Advocates for Children

advocatesforchildren.org aqeny.org

Comprehensive Development Inc

cdi-ny.org

New Settlement Parent Action Committee

settlementhousingfund.org/new_settlement.html

Alliance for Quality Education Bronx Health REACH

bronxhealthreach.org

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation

cypresshills.org

New York Civil Liberties Union

nyclu.org

Dignity in Schools- NY El Puente Eskolta

New York Communities for Change

nycommunities.org thenyic.org nyul.org

Brooklyn Food Coalition

brooklynfoodcoalition.org

dignityinschools.org/dsc-ny elpuente.us eskolta.com

New York Immigration Coalition New York Urban League Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition
northwestbronx.org parentvoicesny.org

Brooklyn Movement Center

brooklynmovementcenter.org

Brooklyn UFT Parent Outreach Committee

uft.org/parents bymcinc.org

Girls for Gender Equity

ggenyc.org

Brooklyn Young Mothers Collective Brotherhood Sister Sol

brotherhood-sistersol.org

Highbridge Community Life Center

highbridgelife.org

Parent Voices New York Phys Ed Plus

physedplus.org

Internationals Network for Public Schools, Inc.

internationalsnps.org

Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services

cases.org

La Fuente

lafuenteinc.org

Public Policy and Education Fund of New York

ppefny.org

Center for Arts Education

caenyc.org

League of Young Voters

theleague.com/theleague.com

Redemption, Inc

rdyouth.blogspot.com

Change the Stakes

changethestakes.wordpress.com

Make the Road New York

maketheroadny.org

Resilience Advocacy Project

resiliencelaw.org

Citizen Action of New York

citizenactionny.org

Mirabal Sisters Cultural & Community Center

mirabalcenter.org

Sistas and Brothas United

sistasandbrothasunited.org sifpta.org

Class Size Matters

classsizematters.org

Mothers on the Move

mothersonthemove.org

Staten Island Federation of PTAs The Black Institute

theblackinstitute.org

Coalition for Asian American Children & Families

cacf.org

NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.

naacpldf.org

Coalition for Educational Justice

nyccej.org

Turning Point

turningpointbrooklyn.org/

Community Food Advocates

communityfoodadvocates.org

National Economic and Social Rights Initiative

nesri.org

Urban Youth Collaborative

urbanyouthcollaborative.org

Funders of A+NYC include the Donors Education Collaborative, the North Star Fund, the New York Foundation, the Schott Foundation for Public Education and Communities for Public Education Reform.
Technical assistance for A+NYC is provided by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Contact A+NYC Coordinator fiorella_ guevara@brown.edu for more information. Graphic Design by HOUSEOFCAKES. www.aplusnyc.org Twitter: @APlusNY www.facebook.com/APlusNYC

a glimpse into new york city schools

1

socioeconomic status2

of schools are underfunded based on student needs.

1

94%
4

1 in 3
5

NYC children live in poverty.

CLASS SIZE

school funding

NYC schools have the largest class sizes in the state. In kindergarten through third grade, they are the largest in 14 years with an average of 25 students

ARTS
In NYC, approximately

GRADUATION
NYC public school graduation rates by population in June 2012

SCHOOL CULTURE
79%
ASIAN

50%

75%
WHITE

5,100
police personnel
in the public schools, a number that is approximately 70 percent larger than the citys guidance counselor work force.

There are more than

of all public elementary schools are failing to provide the arts instruction that students are entitled to by New York State law.

60%
ALL STUDENTS

53%
LATINO

55%
BLACK

35% 28%
IEP ELL

SCHOOL BUILDINGS6

NYC reports that less than two percent of school buildings are in good condition.

HEALTH

10

TESTING

Time Spent Taking State Tests for New York City Students Grade Hours 3-4 5 IEP Compared to SAT MCAT 3 h 45 m 4 h 30 m 7h 9h 18 h

PHYSICAL EDUCATION9 An audit of elementary schools found that 96% of schools failed to comply with the state mandate of 120 minutes of PE per week.

kindergartners is obese

1 in 5

and nearly half of our elementary school children are not at a healthy weight

1. http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/fsf2013.pdf; 2. http://www.campaignforchildrennyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Instability-Report_Final-Designed1.pdf; 3. http://schools.nyc.gov/AboutUs/data/classsize/classsize.htm; 4. http://aplusnyc.org/arts-education/; 5. http://schools.nyc.gov/Accountability/data/GraduationDropoutReports/default.htm; 6. http://www.seiu32bj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/falling-further-apart1.pdf; 7. http://aplusnyc.org/ police-in-schools/; 8. Testing hours for grades 3-4, 5 and IEP are spread over 6 days. http://www.princetonreview.com, http://www.parentvoicesny.org/?page_id=1132; 9. http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/PDF_FILES_2011/ MD11_083A.pdf, http://wccny.org/2011/10/04/wcc-applauds-comptrollers-audit-of-physical-education-in-schools/; 10. https://media.gractions.com/F410DC9E068B98B88EA0B5C54D6885F750D9D0A3/2850366f-07e8-4da8-a7ba-ff6d 1b687975.pdf. a+ nycaplusnyc.org Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor | 1

PS 2013:

SHAPING AN EDUCATION AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MAYOR

Improving public schools is consistently among the top priorities of New York City voters. Leading our citys school system, the largest in the nation, is at the heart of the mayors charge. Over the past decade, schools have weathered wave after wave of structural change. Massive alterationsin school governance, school closings, hundreds of new school openings, the rise of test-based accountability, and the introduction of Common Core standards have transformed teaching and learning in New York City. In this context, the A+ NYC coalition sought to elevate the wisdom of educators, community leaders, policy experts, and NYCs diverse communities by gathering their perspectives on how to create a world-class school system where all students succeed. Their ideas are presented here a road map for public education that reflects the experience and vision of thousands of New Yorkers. Successful education reform must engage communities in democratic decision2 | Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor

making while also utilizing the rich body of available research. To strike that balance, A+NYC adopted the charrette model often used in architecture and neighborhood planning to design solutions that meet community needs. The charrette model holds enormous potential for opening communication, capturing expertise, restoring trust and building partnerships among stakeholders. We called our process: PS 2013: Shaping an Education Agenda for the Next Mayor. This process began by capturing ideas from stakeholder communities through small workshops and surveys. The design team used these ideas to develop a set of policy proposals, which were returned to the community via a mobile exhibit mounted in a school bus, where participants could cast ballots indicating their support for particular proposals. Feedback from the bus tour shaped the final recommendations, presented in this report and publicly in a citywide summit.

a+ nyc aplusnyc.org

During the campaign

Reach out to school stakeholders by calling community listening sessions during which you solicit suggestions from students, parents, educators and other stakeholders for improving instruction, culture and safety during the first term.

THE WHOLE CHILD

Incorporate the PS 2013 Whole Child, Whole School, Whole City framework into your vision and messaging, to begin to build a public mandate for community-driven school improvements.

THE WHOLE SCHOOL

Visit and learn from successful schools across the city.

Listen to leaders, educators, students and parents about what makes their schools great.

THE WHOLE CITY

a+ nyc aplusnyc.org

Include parents, teachers, community and student representatives on your education transition team.
Use your campaign to engage parents, students, teachers and community in developing your priority education policies and message. Attend several Community Education Councils (CECs) and Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) meetings, to understand the scope and powers of these entities.

Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor | 3

The whole child

More arts and physical education.

Provide schools with funding and support to ensure adequate space, instructional time and resources to meet or exceed the minimum requirements under state law, which include teaching dance, music, theatre and visual arts, providing 120 minutes of physical education per week and other mandates.

the first 100 days

Create the conditions for teaching and learning in schools and address priority needs of students

The whole school

to engage families in identifying their priorities and provide family-friendly trainings on those priorities, in their home language or with quality translation. Increase professional development for Parent Coordinators, Community Education Councils, School Leadership Teams (SLTs), and other parent bodies.

Families as partners. Encourage schools

The whole city

Visionary leadership.
Appoint a Chancellor who makes decisions based on collaboration, equity, excellence and democratic participation and on evidencebased research about school improvement.

4 | Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor

a+ nyc aplusnyc.org

THE FIRST 100 DAYS

Solutions not suspensions.

Build on the work of the New York City School Justice Partnership Task Force by establishing shared goals among stakeholders; investing in hiring counselors, social workers and other support staff to meet students social and emotional needs; and reducing the use of suspensions, school-based summonses and arrests.

Evaluate Special Education.

Ask the Chancellor for a public, comprehensive report on the impact of the DOEs special education reforms on students with disabilities and hold forums in all 5 boroughs for parent and student input.

Redesign the accountability system.

TASK FORCE

Convene a Task Force of educators, administrators, testing experts and others charged with replacing the accountability system with one that will: Reduce the role of standardized tests in high-stakes decisions such as school admissions, grade promotion and school closures, and elevate other measures of student and school performance. Redesign the progress reports to deemphasize the role of test scores, give the public easy-toread information about schools, and evaluate schools on indicators such as school climate, social and emotional learning, arts, physical education, safety, wellness, etc. Create an early intervention system for struggling schools to identify over-concentration of high-needs students, inappropriate use of suspensions, high staff turnover, low attendance, and other indicators to trigger supportive interventions. Help schools improve by supporting SLTs in engaging the whole community to identify the schools goals, strengths and areas for improvement and funding these improvement plans. Share success stories with other schools in order to learn best practices.

Invest in community schools.

Transform more public schools into community schools by helping schools identify their needs, conducting scans of local services (mental and physical health, tutoring, arts, family services, recreation, etc.) and engaging organizations to bring needed supports and services into the schools.

Fight for funding.

Establish ongoing state and federal advocacy campaigns, including mayoral visits to Albany and D.C., for full funding of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and increased resources for schools.

a+ nyc aplusnyc.org

Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor | 5

THE FIRST 100 DAYS

The whole child

College and career now.

Increase college and career counseling staff and expand community-based programs so that students set and obtain ambitious college and career goals; access services like SAT prep; and get help with FAFSA. and college and career counseling. Train and support school staff in planning for the transition of students with disabilities from high school to post-secondary life. Engage families of immigrant students in understanding college options.

Reduce the role of NYPD in schools.

Shift authority over disciplinary decisions made by School Safety Agents (SSAs) from the NYPD to principals and provide training in youth development for all school staff including SSAs to create a welcoming environment where students feel safe.

The whole school

Invest in 21st century career educators.

Guided by research in the field, prioritize first-rate teacher and principal training, recruitment and professional development that will develop and sustain 21st century career educators. See Appendix B.

50%

Of all the teachers who began their career in city schools in school year 2008-2009

wereno longer teaching at the same school after three years.

The whole city

Find savings.

Analyze the budget of the DOE and other city agencies that serve children and families to find cost savings and identify strategies to use funds more effectively.

All in for children. Bring all department

heads from city agencies together to identify how they can collaborate with each other and with schools to improve student success.

6 | Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor

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The whole child

Reduce class size.

Especially in early grades and in high-needs schools.

the first term

Transform the New York City public school system into a world-class teaching and learning community

The whole school

Put the public back in public education.

Work with stakeholders to expand scope and powers of all parent bodies and the Panel on Educational Policy (PEP) in educational decisions. Allow PEP members to serve out fixed terms, so they can vote freely without fear of removal.

The whole city

KIDS

st

Strong start for kids.

Build on successful national models and standards to expand early childhood settings throughout the city and conduct outreach to ensure access for all Pre-K and Kindergartenaged children.

a+ nyc aplusnyc.org

Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor | 7

T HE FIRST TERM

The whole child

Support English Language Learners.

Ensure that all English Language Learners have access to programs and professionals that link academic knowledge with the growth of language skills. Work with other city resources to expand the availability of ESL classes for families.

Support students with special needs.

Increase access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities by adopting accessible curricula; ensuring access to high-quality programs and schools; providing tiered, researchbased interventions; and making time for collaboration between teachers and other school staff.

The whole school

Green schools, better world.

Dedicate Capital Budget resources to a Green Schools Initiative to help NYC schools eliminate toxins, use sustainable resources, create healthy green spaces and engage the community about environmental preservation.

Scrap the blue book and build more schools.

Redefine facility usage to account for student, educator and community needs and to accurately represent available space across the school system. Increase investment in facilities, especially in neighborhoods with a high concentration of overcrowded schools, to provide safe, sustainable, welcoming spaces that could accommodate a community school model.

The whole city 1 1 1 1 1 1

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Convene the technology sector, educators, students and parents to find ways to integrate technology into the schools curricula and professional development and to increase access to general education classrooms for students with disabilities.

0 0
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1 1

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Learn from 0 experience.

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Engage stakeholders frequently in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of all reforms and adjust course based on proven research to improve effectiveness. Learn from the experiences of other urban districts that have adopted a whole child, whole school, whole city approach.

8 | Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor

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T HE FIRST TERM

The whole child

Increase quality food access.

Provide free healthy lunch to all students regardless of income and promote participation in the breakfast program. Provide support, resources, training and menu flexibility options so that schools can cook and distribute healthier, culturally sensitive meals that meet USDA standards.

Promote bilingualism.
Award the Seal of Biliteracy to students who master two or more languages.

The whole school

Transform schools into teaching and learning communities.

Support teacher improvement. Embed professional development in every school, tailored to the needs of that school, including creating pathways for schools to hire highly skilled lead teachers to coordinate supports for the schools educators.

Create pathways for strong principals. Provide quality training for Assistant Principals that includes, mentoring, ongoing forums and site visits to share with and learn from each other.

More time for quality learning. Support principals, educators and the school community in redesigning the school day to provide: a well-rounded culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate curriculum for all students (See Appendix B); more time to engage with parents; more time for teacher collaboration, planning and reflection.

The whole city

Mayor-City-School-Partnerships.
Partner with the citys non-profit and private sector educational, arts, cultural, civic, business and technology organizations, public and private colleges and universities, and the school community to extend opportunities for students to interact with their surrounding community and the entire city.

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Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor | 9

Transform schools into teaching and learning communities where students, teachers, principals and parents are supported, respected, valued and challenged

by following this roadmap, the next mayor will

Reduce the number of hours that students spend taking tests and use multiple measures to assess student and school success Create a school system with mutual accountability for continuous learning and development Restore democratic voice and mutual accountability to the school system Channel the citys educational, social, cultural, artistic and entrepreneurial resources and institutions in support of schools Align and integrate the delivery of services to families across the citys public and private agencies Deliver more and equitable funding to city schools

10 | Whole Child, Whole School, Whole city: An education Roadmap for the Next Mayor

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