FACT SHEET:

Paul Robeson High School (17K625)

December 2010

Fact Sheet: Proposed Phase-out and Replacement Scenario for Paul

Robeson High School
Overview
 Based on an extensive review of data and community feedback, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) has
determined that Paul Robeson High School (Robeson) is unable to turn around and cannot provide a high-quality education to its
students. The DOE is proposing that Robeson be phased out.
 Proposing to phase out a school is the most difficult decision we make. We are proposing this action because we think it’s
the right thing for current and future students in this community.
 The phase-out process would be gradual and happen over the next several years. Robeson would complete phasing out in June
2014.
 The replacement process would also be gradual. A high school would be proposed to open in the building where Robeson is
located. The school would gradually phase in as Robeson’s enrollment decreases.
 We hope you share our view that we can—and must—do better for students. The DOE will continue to work closely with Robeson
staff and families to ensure that all students receive the support they need to succeed in school.

Summary
 Last year,
1
the four-year graduation rate (including August graduates) at Robeson was 50%, well below the citywide average
of 63%.
 Last year, Robeson earned an overall C grade on its Progress Report, with a C grade on Student Performance, a B grade on Student
Progress, and a D grade on School Environment. The Progress Report results for Robeson put the school in the bottom 25% of all
high schools that received a 2009-2010 Progress Report.
 The New York State Education Department (SED) named Robeson as one of the “Persistently Lowest Achieving” (PLA) schools in
the entire state in 2008-2009.
 Last winter, the Panel for Education Policy (PEP) voted to phase out Robeson based on evidence that the school was unable to
improve student performance significantly. A lawsuit prevented the DOE from following through with those plans. The
performance of Robeson over the last year reaffirms that Robeson continues to struggle.
 Robeson staff and families have worked hard to improve the school. The DOE also offered considerable support to Robeson,
including extensive training for school leadership and teachers, helping Robeson build strong partnerships with community groups,
and working with the school’s administration to use grant funds most effectively. Unfortunately, these efforts have not turned the
school around.
 During conversations with the Robeson community, we heard concerns about how the school does not effectively
communicate with parents, the school’s rate of teacher turnover, and how the school does not challenge students. The
community also had positive feedback about the school’s leadership and staff and new efforts to help struggling students.
However, we do not believe these positive components are enough to move the school in the right direction.

What would the proposal mean for current students?

If this proposal is approved, Robeson would be phased out gradually over the next several years. Below are enrollment plans for
current Robeson students, if the school is phased out.

 Current first-time ninth grade students would have the option of completing high school at Robeson or may participate in the
High School Admissions Process and apply to attend a different school as a 10 th grader in September 2011.
 Current repeat ninth grade students will complete high school at Robeson if they earn credits on schedule. As the school would
become smaller, students would receive more individualized attention through graduation to ensure they are receiving the support

1
The graduation rate cited here represents the City’s calculation of the four-year graduation rate on the school’s 2009-2010 Progress Reports. It is
similar to the State method, and typically there is only modest deviation between our calculation and the State rate. Citywide four-year graduation
rates for the Class of 2010 are still being audited by the New York State Education Department and will not likely be available until Spring 2011.
The most recent available four-year graduation rate (including August graduates) for New York City was 63% for the Class of 2009 and the citywide
Regents graduation rate for the same year was 46%.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2

they need to succeed. Students are also encouraged to meet with their guidance counselor to review progress toward graduation and
consider applying to a transfer school.
 Current 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students who are on track to graduate will complete high school at Robeson if they continue
to earn credits on schedule. As the school would become smaller, students would receive more individualized attention through
graduation to ensure they are receiving the support they need to succeed. Students are also encouraged to meet with their guidance
counselor to discuss all of their options.
 Current 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students who are not on track to graduate should meet with their guidance counselor to
discuss options. Students could complete high school at Robeson or consider applying to a transfer high school.

If Robeson is phased out, the school would no longer admit new ninth grade students after the end of this school year. Robeson would
continue to serve students currently enrolled in the school until the school completes phasing out in June 2014.

Background
Robeson Has Struggled for Years
 Last year, Robeson’s four-year graduation rate (including August graduates) was 50%, well below the citywide average of
63%. Robeson’s graduation rate ranks in the bottom 8% of high schools citywide and in the bottom 10% of high schools in
Brooklyn.
 In 2008-2009, the four-year graduation rate at Robeson was 40%, placing the school in the bottom 2% of high schools citywide and
in the bottom 5% of high schools in Brooklyn.
 If Regents diplomas alone counted toward graduation—as will be the case next year—the 2009-2010 four-year graduation
rate at Robeson would drop to 24%, well below the citywide average of 46%.
 Robeson earned an overall C grade on its Progress Report last year, with a C grade on Student Performance, a B grade on Student
Progress, and a D grade on School Environment. Robeson’s Progress Report score ranks in the bottom 25% of high schools
citywide receiving a 2009-2010 Progress Report. Robeson earned an overall C grade on its 2008-2009 Progress Report, with a D
grade on Student Performance, a C grade on Student Progress, and an F grade on School Environment.
 Last year, only 66% of first-year students at Robeson earned at least 10 credits. Robeson’s first year credit accumulation ranks in
the bottom 16% of high schools citywide. That same year, only 57% of students in their second and third years accumulated at least
10 credits. Earning at least 10 credits is a key predictor of future student success because students who fall behind often have
trouble getting back on track to graduate.
 The school’s attendance rate continues to be extremely low. Last year, the attendance rate was 76%, 10 points below the
citywide average of 86% for high schools. In fact, this attendance rate is among the very lowest for any high school in New
York City, placing Robeson in the bottom 5%. In 2008-2009, the attendance rate was 69%, placing the school in the bottom
1% citywide.
 Robeson was rated “Proficient” on its most recent Quality Review in 2008-2009. During Quality Reviews, experienced educators
spend several days visiting a school, observing classrooms, and talking to staff, students, and parents. Schools are rated on a four-
point scale, with “Well Developed” as the highest rating. “Proficient” is equivalent to a score of three out of four.
 Safety issues have been a concern at Robeson in recent years. On the 2009-2010 New York City School Survey, 22% of students
reported feeling unsafe in the hallways, bathrooms, and locker rooms. That same year, 22% of parents expressed concerns about
their children’s safety. In addition, 42% of teachers reported that discipline and order were not maintained at the school.

Demand for the School is Low, Suggesting that Families Are Seeking Better Options2
 Demand for Robeson has fallen over the past three years. Robeson admits students into two educational option programs and two
screened programs through the High School Admissions Process.
 Over the past two years, demand for Robeson’s educational option program dropped from 3.8 applications per seat for September
2009 enrollment to 2.5 applications per seat for September 2010 for the same number of seats. For its screened programs demand
dropped from 3.9 applications per seat for September 2009 enrollment to 2.7 applications per seat for September 2010 for the same
number of seats.

2
Audited enrollment data are not yet available for the current school year. Enrollment data are from the 2009-2010 school year, audited as of October
31, 2009. Demand data reflect high school admissions applications submitted in early December 2009 for students beginning high school in
September 2010. This data captures the demand for Paul Robeson prior to the DOE’s proposed phase-out of Paul Robeson. As a result, these
enrollment and demand figures do not reflect the impact of that proposed phase-out announcement.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 3

Despite Our Best Efforts, Performance at Robeson Remains Low

We recognize that Robeson staff members have worked hard to improve the school, but the school has not turned around. Over the
previous years, the DOE has offered numerous supports to Robeson including:

Leadership Support:
 Helping the principal develop Robeson’s Comprehensive Education Plan and set school goals.
 Connecting administrators with other schools to learn effective practices that could be replicated at Robeson.
Instructional Support:
 Training for assistant principals on conducting observations, reviewing student work, and accountability tools.
 Training for school leadership on implementing instructional rounds and learning walks to help teachers learn from each other.
 Working with the school to align curriculum across grade levels and subject areas.
 Helping the school implement Virtual Enterprise CTE programs.
 Helping the school to use data to improve instruction for English language learners, special education students, and students
performing below grade level.

Operational Support:
 Coaching staff on budgeting, human resources, recruiting and retaining talented teachers, and compliance issues.
 Helping the school secure and implement public and private grants, which were used for mentoring, credit recovery, student
attendance, and peer mediation.

Student Support:
 Training guidance counselors on how to use scholarship reports and graduation tracking systems.
 Working with Robeson to improve student attendance and reduce suspensions through creating partnerships with Global Kids and
Crown Heights Mediation.
 Guidance on managing relationships with the other schools on campus to allow for efficient and coordinated use of facilities and
shared space.

We Know That We Can Do Better

Like most New York City public schools, Robeson serves a high-need population: 21% of students require special education services
and 4% are English language learners. But other schools serving similar students have achieved far better results.
 At the Cobble Hill School of American Studies, a Brooklyn school, 21% of students require special education services and 5% of
students are English language learners. That school achieved a 64% four-year graduation rate in 2009-2010, with 35% of students
earning Regents diplomas.
 At Harry Truman High School, a Bronx school, 25% of students require special education services and 9% of students are English
language learners. That school achieved a 64% four-year graduation rate in 2009-2010, with 55% of students earning Regents
diplomas.
 While all students are still not where we’d like them to be, these schools are getting far better results while serving a similar mix of
students to Robeson.

Community Feedback
On November 9, 2010, Brooklyn High School Superintendent Karen Watts held a School Leadership Team meeting and parent meeting
at the school to discuss what is working at Robeson, what isn’t working, and how we can work together to serve students better. While
they had positive feedback about the staff and the school’s long standing role in the community, they also expressed a number of
concerns. Parents said:

 The school fails to communicate with parents effectively.

 The school suffers from a great deal of teacher turnover.
 The school does not challenge students or hold them to high standards.
 The school does not provide students with enough extracurricular activities.
NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 4

Supporting Current and Future Students

We Remain Focused on Helping Robeson Students to Succeed
During the proposed phase out, the DOE will build on our past efforts to help the school by:
 Providing teacher training around issues including curriculum planning, improving teaching practices, and tailoring instruction to
individual student needs.
 Fostering opportunities for teachers and administrators to connect with colleagues in other more successful schools, allowing them to
learn from one another, improve teaching, and better support students.
 Facilitating partnerships with community-based organizations to support youth development initiatives at the school.
Plans for New Schools for the Robeson Community
As we work together to create better options for the Robeson community, we will keep in mind what has worked at Robeson and do our
best to incorporate those positive elements into replacement plans. For example:
 We will work with the community to retain partnerships with community-based organizations that are offering valuable services to
the school community; and
 We will consider what elements of the school structure are working and do our best to include those features in a replacement school,
if Robeson is phased out.

What You Can Expect

Within the next two weeks, you will receive a letter notifying you that the formal proposal to phase out Robeson has been published and
that a joint public hearing to be held at the school has been scheduled. Replacement plans will be published in a separate proposal. The
joint public hearing will be held in January 2011 by the DOE, District 17 Community Education Council and Robeson’s School
Leadership Team, among others. The Citywide Council for High Schools will be invited to participate in the joint public hearing.
During this hearing, community members, including parents and students, will be able to share their thoughts on the phase-out proposal.

The proposal to phase out Robeson will be voted on by the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), which is composed of members
appointed by Mayor Bloomberg and the five Borough Presidents, during a public meeting scheduled for the first week of February
2011. During this meeting, the public will have another opportunity to comment on the proposal. If the PEP approves the proposal,
Robeson will not accept new ninth grade students next school year.

Sharing Your Concerns and Questions

The DOE is seeking your feedback on the proposal. We will record your comments and include them in our analysis of public feedback,
which is presented to the PEP prior to their vote on the proposal. Please submit any comments you have at:

Phone: 212-374-3466
E-mail: HS.Proposals@schools.nyc.gov

We also encourage you to visit the Web site created to serve Robeson at
http://schools.nyc.gov/community/planning/changes/brooklyn/PaulRobeson. We will update that Web site regularly with important
dates, answers to frequently asked questions, and new information as it becomes available.