New York State Education Department Removes Roosevelt High School from Schools under Registration Review

More about Roosevelt High School

New York State Education Commissioner Richard Mills announced today that the sustained improvement rate of student achievement at Roosevelt High School warrants its removal from the list of Schools Under Registration Review (SURR).

(Thu 3/15/07) In a January 2007 letter to the office of Commissioner Mills, Superintendent of Schools Bernard P. Pierorazio proudly informed the State Education Department that the programs implemented to improve academic performance at Roosevelt High School, “yielded positive results to the point where I feel confident in requesting Roosevelt’s removal from registration review status.”  The New York State Education Department endorsed Mr. Pierorazio’s analysis, removing the school.

Immediately following Roosevelt’s identification as a SURR school in 2004, a collaborative improvement plan was devised by a team of administrators, teachers, parents, education specialists and representatives of the State Education Department. Yonkers Public Schools also independently initiated several programs to sustain and advance Roosevelt’s improved level of academic performance.  Many of these programs are a standard part of the educational environment at each of the District’s high schools. 

Roosevelt High School’s improvement in the area of several key indicators qualified the school for removal from registration review.  Major criterion for naming or removing a school from SURR is the Performance Index.  At Roosevelt High School the English Language Arts Performance Index for all students increased 26%, while the Mathematics Performance Index for all students increased 13%.  Other improvements cited were a 3 percentage point increase in student attendance and a dropout rate decrease to a low of 6.4%.

Several important initiatives sustain Roosevelt’s improved level of academic performance:

• Data Management and Analysis - improved attention to data quality
• Mathematics Professional Learning Community - aligning curriculum, introduction of mathematics-balanced literacy, scripted lessons for the math skills courses and a reduction in class size
• Expanded Academic Intervention Services – extended time for instruction includes fall and spring after school academies, Saturday Success Academy and Holiday School
• Smaller Learning Communities - creation of the Communication Arts and Public Service Academies; development of vertical teams of teachers across grades to introduce theme-based interdisciplinary curriculum and instruction; looping students with counselors to personalize social emotional aspects of a large urban high school; student advisors assigned to each grade to track attendance, and scholarship
• Realignment of English Language Arts Department - focusing on the use of data driven and informed instructional practices
• Transitional Former Limited English Proficiency Programs - to assist students moving from bilingual and ESL courses into general education classrooms; Saturday Program for extended instructional time
• Funding  - in place from multiple grant sources that provide opportunities for teachers, counselors, and administrators to participate in workshops that enhance instruction and engage colleagues in critical conversations

Superintendent Pierorazio said that, “we are gratified that this sustained and collaborative effort resulted in more students achieving and exceeding New York State Learning Standards, but there is much more to be done.”  Roosevelt High School is still identified as a School in Need of Improvement.  Superintendent Pierorazio reiterated the District’s framework to target resources and deploy the combined expertise of professional staff to improve student achievement and progress in Yonkers schools. 

Enthusiastic about the progress, Jade Sharp, Principal of Roosevelt High School, announced over the school’s public address system, “We did it!  Congratulations Roosevelt students and staff, our school has been removed from the SURR list.  Each and every one of you owns this accomplishment.  All of our expectations were set very high for Roosevelt students and you produced great results.  There is a bright future ahead for our school.”