By Dan Israeli
After successfully appealing for the removal of Gotham Avenue Elementary School from the state's Schools in Need of Improvement (SINI) list, Harper was shocked to see that the district was still cited for not making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two straight years, in English, as per the department's guidelines of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Gotham Avenue, placed on the SINI list for not meeting the state's participation criteria for ESL exams, was removed when Harper was able to prove that the school's ESL exams from the 2005-06 school year were improperly thrown out, causing Elmont to fall under the state's requirement. "To make a long story short, tests that were supposed to be sent to the central office were accidentally shredded," Harper said. "We had the kids who took them sign affidavits." The district identified the problem immediately when it occurred two years ago, according to Harper, and had its appeal granted after a two-year process.
The Elmont district as a whole, however, still appears on the Districts in Need of Improvement list (DINI), and must develop a Local Education Agency plan, according to State Education Department guidelines. As a district requiring corrective action, Elmont must undergo a curriculum audit to prevent the withholding of state funds.
Harper has now filed a second appeal against the state to remove the district from the DINI list, which he said was a mistake based solely on Gotham Avenue's inclusion on the schools list. "We are listed as a district in need of improvement purely for participation and nothing else," said Harper. "It is important to note that the State's entire determination was based on the participation of the ESL students at the Gotham Avenue school."
Tom Dunn, a spokesman for the State Education Department, said that while Gotham Avenue is now in good standing, the district is not off the hook. "By our calculations, Elmont has been identified as a district in need of improvement," he said. "Elmont is petitioning to change its designation, and we are going to be reviewing that." Dunn did not state whether the district was being cited for participation or performance, and acknowledged that other factors, like Elmont students going out of district for special education, also figures into the department's formula.
Lynne Stucchio, Elmont's director of curriculum and instruction, collected the necessary data for the district's appeal. According to her, the education department did not consider district level data in its designation of Elmont." All of our schools are in good standing and are meeting AYP," she said. "We are very carefully looking at all the data that assures the participation of our students." Stucchio said she spoke with the department's office of data recording, which had Elmont at just below the state's benchmark for ESL participation.
Elmont's placement on the list came as quite the shock to Harper and Stucchio, who both view their district as one of the more progressive academic institutions. Gotham Avenue won a statewide Pathfinder award in 2002, which recognizes schools that show year-to-year improvement in test scores. The district has consistently won gap-closing awards, according to Stucchio, and was also included in an Albany study on the best educational practices in the state. "We have been consistently receiving awards and recognition for our programs and the achievements of our students," said Stucchio.
Harper said he was appreciative that Gotham Avenue's appeal was granted, and that he was now waiting for the same to happen with the district. "This is a high performing district," Harper said. "Our schools have been a model for urban education. I've taken the train up to Albany once to fight this, and if I need to go again, I will."
