The Challenge
The New York City public school system is the largest in the United States, with over 1,200 schools and more than 1.1 million students enrolled each year. But for too many of these students, New York City’s public schools do not provide adequate preparation for the future:

• Only about half of the students who entered New York City’s public high schools in 1998 graduated four years later.
  
  
• Of those students who graduated, only about one-third received Regents diplomas, which is one indicator of readiness for college.
  
  
• Among African-American and Latino students who entered New York City’s public high schools in 1998, only about one out of ten graduated four years later with a Regents diploma.

Source: New York City Department of Education, 2004 

As of September 2006, the foundation has invested more than $125 million to support comprehensive high school reform in New York City:

Since 2001, the New York City Department of Education has opened 176 new schools, many in place of the lowest performing high schools in the City. This approach—improving struggling high schools and closing those that are failing—is designed to provide City students with the rigorous education they need to graduate and succeed in college and the workplace.

In 2005, the district announced the planning of small learning communities in eight of its largest high schools and a commitment to expand the number of rigorous alternative schools. It also will create an “autonomy zone” giving the best schools in the City the freedom to make more of their own decisions.

The foundation’s latest $18.8 million in grants, plus more than $5 million from other private donors, will expand on the good work being done in these schools and support a comprehensive secondary reform strategy aimed at improving high school education throughout the New York City public school system. The funds will support the development of small learning communities within large high schools. Teachers and principals in these schools will receive greater professional development opportunities, improved curriculum materials, and increased time for collaboration, all in support of stronger student achievement. Students will benefit from more rigorous instruction and meaningful relationships with teachers and staff.

Finally, every district needs to do a better job of serving secondary school students who—for a variety of reasons—will not succeed at a traditional, content-centric school. Another initiative supported by these latest grants is the Multiple Pathways program, created to ensure that the students in New York City most at risk of dropping out will receive the support they need to graduate.

Early indicators suggest that the reform initiatives underway in New York City are engaging students and improving their opportunities for success in high school and beyond.

• New and redesigned schools in New York City are inspiring students to come to class more often. In 2003-2004, the average attendance rate at these schools was 91%, compared to 83% citywide.
  
  
• In 2003-2004, students in New York City’s new schools were promoted from ninth to tenth grade at a rate of 93%, while the overall promotion rate for New York City was 68%.
  
  
• The 15 new small schools opened in September 2002 reported a combined first-time graduation rate of 73% in 2006, a dramatic improvement over the schools they replaced—graduation rates that ranged from a low of 31% to a high of 51%.
  
  
• New schools in New York City are demonstrating success in building school communities in which students develop strong relationships with teachers, administrators, and other mentors.
  
  
• New schools in New York City are demonstrating success in introducing academic rigor, meeting standards for academic performance, and raising expectations for student achievement.

Source: New York City Department of Education, 2005 

These reform initiatives—new schools, small learning communities, and the Multiple Pathways program—are supported by partnerships between and among New York City’s mayor and its Department of Education, community organizations dedicated to improving public education, private philanthropies, and the educators and students who each day do the hard work of making these reforms a reality. 

The foundation’s partners in New York City include:

• The New York City Department of Education, which provides district-wide leadership and support for the planning and implementation of secondary school reform initiatives.
  
  
• The Asia Society, an international organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and deepening understanding among the peoples of Asia and the United States, is developing and supporting three internationally-themed high schools.
  
  
• City University of New York (CUNY) has collaborated with the New York City Department of Education to create 10 early college high schools, a model in which students can earn college credit while attending high school.
  
  
• The College Board, an organization committed to preparing every child for access to and success in college, has created new college-preparatory secondary schools, grades six through twelve.
  
  
• Institute for Student Achievement, a school redesign partner that has developed new schools and will facilitate the transformation of high schools into small learning communities.
  
  
• International Partnership Schools, which develops and supports public high schools for recent immigrants to the United States who are new learners of English, has created and will support high schools with learning environments that allow immigrant students to thrive academically and socially.
  
  
• New Visions for Public Schools, an education reform organization that has developed over 75 new schools to date and will expand on this work through the creation of small learning communities in large high schools.
  
  
• Outward Bound, a non-profit school improvement and teacher development organization that emphasizes learning expeditions and other active forms of teaching and learning, will develop and support eight Expeditionary Learning high schools.
  
  
• Replications, Inc., a school developer committed to promoting and facilitating the replication of successful public schools, has created eight personalized and rigorous high schools.
  
  
• The Urban Assembly, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating small, public, college-preparatory high schools, has created ten rigorous secondary schools supported by meaningful partnerships with the private sector.
  
  
• The Young Women’s Leadership Foundation, a reform group dedicated to improving student performance and inspiring leadership, will add to its network of single-gender, college-preparatory schools.

Research & Resources

Evaluation of the New Century High Schools Initiative: Report of the Third Year, New Visions for Public Schools, June 2006.

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Claiming Space for Small Schools. A Report on the New Century Schools: The Bronx, New York 2002-2003, Laura Kurgan, August 2003.