Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

‘New Century’ Critique Draws Evaluator’s Response

December 04, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

My colleagues and I at Policy Studies Associates Inc. wish to respond to inaccuracies in David C. Bloomfield’s Nov. 14, 2007, letter to the editor regarding our evaluation of New York City’s New Century High Schools.

First, the percentage of Regents diplomas among New Century students and comparison students was about the same in the period studied. The difference arose because the New Century schools kept more students in school for four years than did comparison schools, thus achieving a lower dropout rate and a correspondingly higher rate of local diplomas.

Second, the data used to compute students’ high school progress are available to external researchers through the New York City Department of Education, so these trends can continue to be followed beyond this evaluation. As with most school systems, the education department also posts on its Web site graduation and dropout data for every high school.

Third, by measuring credit accumulation, Policy Studies Associates did not “game” the system; all high schools in New York City are working toward the same end of supporting students in earning academic credits and eventually diplomas. The report was candid about the distinctions between local diplomas and Regents diplomas, and between reducing dropout rates and providing a rigorous education.

Fourth, the percentages of English-language learners and students with disabilities were almost equivalent in New Century schools and in high schools citywide, averaging 2 percentage points less in New Century schools for each group.

And finally, our evaluation reported extensively on the characteristics of successful small high schools, which we summed up as personalized attention, supplementary supports for learning, and high quality in instructional systems. As we reported, the New Century schools have taken important steps in the right direction, although they haven’t yet arrived at their destination.

Elizabeth Reisner

Policy Studies Associates Inc.

Washington, D.C.

The writer is the principal investigator of the New Century High Schools evaluation.

Related Tags:
Opinion

A version of this article appeared in the December 05, 2007 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Student Achievement K-12 Essentials Forum How to Build and Scale Effective K-12 State & District Tutoring Programs
Join this free virtual summit to learn from education leaders, policymakers, and industry experts on the topic of high-impact tutoring.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: April 16, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Quiz ICYMI: Do You Know What 'High-Quality Curriculum' Really Means?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of curricula.
iStock/Getty
Education Quiz ICYMI: Lawsuits Over Trump's Education Policies And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of money symbol, books, gavel, and scale of justice.
DigitalVision Vectors
Education Quiz ICYMI: Trump Moves to Shift Special Ed Oversight And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on TikTok in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on TikTok in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP