2017 - 2018 Diversity Report Diversity Efforts

High School

National Girls & Women in Sports Day (Annual)

National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) began in 1987 as a special day in our nation’s capital to recognize women’s sports. NGWSD has since evolved into an event to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports. PSAL commemorates this day yearly by bringing female student-athletes together from all five boroughs for a day of fellowship, workshops, panels and an awards luncheon honoring our female student-athletes accomplishments within their sports. Likewise, PSAL honors a keynote speaker with the Title IX Trailblazer award for their accomplishments towards bridging the Title IX gap in the world of athletics.

Student Diversity, Encouragement and Empowerment

High School

Launched Transition and College Access Centers

In 2017-18 SEO opened three Transition and College Access Centers (TCACs) in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office in Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Staten Island. These centers developed cohesive goals to coordinate support to schools, families, and students including resume writing, interview skills, college applications, and connecting with agencies. In their first year, the TCACs provided work-based learning opportunities to almost 4,000 students across NYC.

Transition Services

Kindergarten

Plan to develop targeted interventions for families of Students in Temporary Housing (STH) and English Language Learners (ELL)

The DOE has continued its partnership with social policy research organization, MDRC, to design and test interventions to improve access to Kindergarten options and to improve the application process for ELL and STH families in order to inform future practice.

Improving Efforts to Support Students in Temporary Housing

Kindergarten, Gifted & Talented

Utilized Pre-K for All providers in raising family awareness about the Kindergarten and Gifted & Talented application processes

With the large increase in students enrolled in full-day pre-Kindergarten, the DOE utilized communication with Pre-K for All providers to encourage participation in the Kindergarten and Gifted & Talented admissions processes. This communication included directory distribution, targeted emails about process events, and the sharing of site-level data on student participation.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply

Middle and High School

Live Out Loud Pride Month Partnership

Live Out Loud is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering LGBTQ youth. Live Out Loud has existed for almost 20 years. They partner with Gender and Sexuality Alliances, GSAs, to bring in programming and network clubs across the 5 boroughs.

Live Out Loud Pride Month Partnership supported 12 GSAs. They received guided support from Live Out Loud to host their own pride month program, a lesson instructed by Live Out Loud staff, and educational materials.

Fostering Welcoming School Climates for All Students

Middle and High School

NewFest GSA Movie Screenings

NewFest is an organization dedicated to LGBT film and media arts. They are best known for producing the LGBT film festival in New York City. They hold various film screenings throughout the year.
The New York City Department of Education partnered with NewFest to hold movie screenings for gender and sexuality alliances, or GSAs. Schools were invited to attend and opted in. Schools were responsible for coordinating permission slips and chaperones while the Office of Safety and Youth Development coordinate the movie rights, location, and ticketing with NewFest.

Fostering Welcoming School Climates for All Students

Middle and High School

NewFest Transgender Families Event

NewFest is an organization dedicated to LGBT film and media arts. They are best known for producing the LGBT film festival in New York City. They hold various film screenings throughout the year. The New York City Department of Education partnered with NewFest to hold an afternoon program for transgender youth and their families titled Visible Voices: Trans Stories on Film. The event included venue, film rights, event staff, ticketing, and program curation. The event began with a reception, screened three short films, held a Q+A with special guests, and a post-conversation reception. The event was held on June 9, 2018, and brought together 10 people

Fostering Welcoming School Climates for All Students

Middle School

Capacity building for middle school counselors, social workers and middle school- after school providers

The DOE developed training resources specifically for middle school counselors, social workers and after school providers to support with high school admissions and career awareness and exploration in CTE/STEM fields. Additionally, the team conducted nine info sessions on CTE programming at each of the High School Admissions Borough Fairs.

Increasing Participation of Underrepresented Students in STEM and Other Rigorous Courses

Middle School

Supported schools with school-based admissions to set targets for admitting students with disabilities

The DOE continued to support middle schools in recruiting and supporting students with disabilities, including middle schools that currently serve lower numbers of these students.

Increasing Access to Screened Schools

Middle School

Moved toward eliminating revealed middle school ranking

As outlined in the Equity and Excellence for All diversity plan, all districts are expected to implement blind ranking as a part of the middle school admissions process. For fall 2018 admissions, Districts 4, 5, 13, and 14 moved to blind ranking leaving only Districts 1, 2, and 3 with revealed ranking. Those Districts are planning to implement blind ranking for fall 2019 admissions.

Increasing Access to Screened Schools

Middle School

Specialized High Schools Diversity Initiative - Expand DREAM, a SHSAT preparation program, to serve additional rising 8th grade students in an Intensive program

DREAM-SHSI is an extracurricular program of rigorous coursework designed to assist economically disadvantaged NYC students in preparing for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). There are two DREAM programs: the Specialized High School Institute (DREAM-SHSI), which runs from the middle of grade 6 to the fall of grade 8, and the Summer/Fall Intensive, which runs during the summer and fall before students plan to take the SHSAT. In summer 2016, the DOE implemented the Summer/Fall Intensive for the first time, targeting the highest-performing rising 8th graders from underrepresented districts. For summer 2017, the DREAM Summer/Fall Intensive more than doubled, serving about 650 students. 185 students received an offer, up from 113 last year. For summer 2018, the DREAM Intensive program served over 1,000 students. DREAM participants who took the fall 2017 SHSAT comprised 8 percent of Black and Latino testers, but 29 percent of Black and Latino students who received Specialized High School offers.

Improving Diversity at the Specialized High Schools

Middle School, High School

Trainings in Dating Violence offered to school staff

The DOE partnered with the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence to offer trainings in Dating Violence for school staff, particularly targeting school counselors and Respect for All liaisons, who are staff members who serve as resources for students and staff on issues of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying . These trainings focus on dismantling misperceptions about dating violence, and on highlighting the ways that sexism, racism, and homophobia play into dating violence dynamics. The DOE also leveraged Day One, a non-profit organization focused on preventing dating abuse, to do such trainings. The DOE is aiming to train all Respect for All liaisons by the end of 2019-20.

Fostering Welcoming School Climates for All Students

Middle School, High School

Citywide Career and Technical Education (CTE) High School Fair

The third annual Citywide CTE High School fair showcased industry and college partners collaborating with CTE programs in addition to a panel on "Bright Futures: Girls in CTE”. The Special Education Office and DOE's Translations Team were in attendance with resources to support middle school families. The “Bright Futures: Girls in CTE” panel event was aimed at middle school students and their parents/guardians. The goal was to educate and inform parents, guardians and students about the various options, both in college and careers, that open up for CTE students, especially in fields where women are underrepresented.

Increasing Participation of Underrepresented Students in STEM and Other Rigorous Courses

Middle School, High School

Worked with schools to streamline school tours, open houses, and registration for school-based assessments and auditions

In order to help alleviate some of the anxiety, time and resources families expend on attending school tours, open houses, and school-based assessments, the DOE is working with schools to collect and display all open house and school tour information on the DOE website. In 2017-18, the DOE published an open house calendar for high school, middle school and elementary school admissions. The DOE continues to work with schools toward simplifying school-based assessments and optimizing their recruitment strategies.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply

Middle School, High School

Support transition of students returning from court-ordered settings

In order to fully support and promote the transition of students returning from court-ordered settings, the DOE and the Administration of Children's Services (ACS) are continuing to build their partnership and improve communication and data-sharing. The DOE and ACS are developing an inter-agency transition protocol to improve communication and provide a more proactive, seamless transition as students re-enter DOE schools.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply

Middle School, High School

Continued programs to mentor and support Students in Temporary Housing (STH)

The OBAMA, SIMBA, and ASET, STARS, SISTA programs provide mentoring and support services to students in temporary housing. They focus on identifying and supporting students who are English Language Learners, newcomers, and/or LGBTQ. The programs allow for a safe space for these students to thrive and build around their “common differences". The programs also encourage a college-going culture through college tours, which encourages school persistence and college-readiness.

Improving Efforts to Support Students in Temporary Housing

Middle School, High School

Gender Equity Modules

The DOE developed Gender Equity in Career and Technical Education online modules, mostly developed for middle school counselors but open to all school staff, to promote and understanding of the gender inequities that permeate Career and Technical Education, and how to promote greater gender equity in these schools.

Fostering Welcoming School Climates for All Students

Pre-K

Expansion of Pre-K Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SCIS) programs

As part of NYC's 3-K and Pre-K For All initiatives, the DOE continues to work towards improving and increasing the inclusion of students with disabilities in early childhood settings. Pre-K Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SCIS) programs allow for students with and without IEPs to be educated together. The DOE expanded operations to 104 SCIS programs in 95 DOE district settings for SY 18-19.

Planning for Diversity When Opening New Schools and Programs

Pre-K/ 3K

Outreach and enrollment support to students in temporary housing

In order to ensure that families were ready for the start of school, the Outreach team continued to visit several shelters in underserved communities throughout the summer and supported families one on one in securing a Pre-K or 3-K seat. Through shelter visits and targeted phone calls, the Outreach Team also connected with families in temporary housing to inform them about Head Start programs with immediate openings. In many instances, staff from Head Start programs joined the team on their shelter visits. DOE distributed an informative flier to all pre-K providers on the rights of Students in Temporary Housing and resources available for families.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply

Pre-Kindergarten

Finalized plans to expand Dual Language classrooms in pre-kindergarten classrooms

The DOE doubled the number of Pre-K Dual Language programs that families could apply to for fall 2018, with a total of 63 programs offered. Languages include Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, Russian and Italian.

Planning for Diversity When Opening New Schools and Programs

Pre-Kindergarten

Produced offers for all Pre-Kindergarten aged students in shelter

In spring 2018, all four-year-olds in shelter who had not applied to Pre-K received an offer to a free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K for All program. In partnership with the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the DOE conducted continued outreach to these families to ensure they were aware of their offer.

Improving Efforts to Support Students in Temporary Housing

Pre-Kindergarten

Opened pre-K Main Round later and for a longer period of time and introduced late application

The DOE opened the 2018 pre-Kindergarten application later in the year and for a longer period of time in response to feedback from partners in the students in temporary housing initiative that the application was opened too early and closed too quickly. Additionally, the DOE implemented a "Late Application" and eliminated Round 2 in order to make the process easier for families to understand.

Simplifying Admissions Methods and Processes

Pre-Kindergarten - High School

Encourage the recruitment and retention of men of color to teach in New York City schools

In partnership with the Mayor's Young Men's Initiative, the City University of New York, and Teach for America, the DOE engaged in initiatives and programs aiming to put an additional 1,000 men of color on course to become NYC public school teachers by 2018. These initiatives include: building out principal and mentor networks, developing partnerships with universities, charter schools, CBOs (such as ExpandED and EdRising), engaging potential candidates earlier including current high school students, improving the onboarding process by providing convenient training and certification support, improving the hiring process through partial certification exam reimbursement, school tours, virtual interviews, improving professional development opportunities, and utilizing culturally relevant professional and leadership workshops.

Fostering Welcoming School Climates for All Students

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten

Conducted robocalls to families in both English and Spanish to remind them to apply

The DOE targets families who did not apply through admissions in English and Spanish.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten

Dual language programs available on Kindergarten & pre-Kindergarten applications

As part of the central pre-K and Kindergarten applications, families may apply directly to Dual Language program offerings in addition to the school itself. This allows families to express a preference for this type of pedagogy, as well as enable the DOE to better anticipate incoming populations of English Language Learners. Families were asked three short questions to identify potential ELLs on the application.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Gifted & Talented

Conducted additional outreach to students and families through 4410s, CPSEs, and the Turning 5 process for all elementary admissions processes

The Committees on Special Education (CSEs) and Committees on Pre School Special Education (CPSEs) work with families of students with disabilities, while 4410 programs are the primary providers of pre-Kindergarten special education programs and services. The DOE distributed directories to these sites and conducted outreach to encourage their participation in elementary admissions processes. Additionally, outreach was conducted to families participating in the Turning 5 process to encourage families to apply to kindergarten and register for the Gifted & Talented test.

Streamlining and increasing access for families to learn about school options and apply