2015-2016 Demographic Data - Diversity Efforts

Pre-Kindergarten-12th Grade

School redesign and new school creation to respond to student and community needs

The Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships works with Superintendents to collaborate with each school community - staff, parents, students, and other community stakeholders- to respond to educational needs, particularly when schools are exhibiting declining academic performance. The range of redesign strategies include: Addition of new programs or services (School Redesign), New School development, School relocation (Reciting), Grade reconfiguration (Truncation / Expansion), Consolidation and Closure. The end result is a better option for students, one whose culture reflects a single cohesive community and a higher instructional quality which leads to student achievement. These strategies are constructed with potential impacts on school diversity in mind.

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Pre-Kindergarten

Encourage linguistic diversity and support students with non-English home language in pre-K

A subset of pre-K programs were identified to offer specific language support models for pre-K students. In addition to 11 Dual Language programs, 100 Enhanced Language Support programs were offered that feature additional classroom and/or families engagement practices. These practices include staff on site on site who speak the target language and stories, songs, and materials in multiple languages.

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Kindergarten- 12th Grade

Expansion of ASD Nest program

ASD Nest programs serve students with autism whose academic abilities are on grade-level and whose primary need for support is in the areas of language and social skill development. During 2015-16, 246 ASD Nest programs served students citywide. In 2016-17, 19 new sections were opened resulting in a total of 265 ASD Nest programs citywide.

Students with disabilities on the autism spectrum

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Kindergarten- 12th Grade

Expansion of ASD Horizon program

ASD Horizon programs serve students on the autism spectrum whose academic abilities are approaching or below grade level and who may benefit from instructional and interpersonal supports grounded in the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. During 2015-16, 58 ASD Horizon programs served students citywide. In 2016-17, 11 new sections were opened, resulting in a total of 69 ASD Horizon programs citywide.

Students with disabilities on the autism spectrum

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Kindergarten- 12th Grade

Expansion of Bilingual Special Education programs

Bilingual Special Education programs serve students who need a special class or Integrated Co-Teaching classroom with instruction in English and another language. In 2015-16, 183 BSE programs served students citywide. During 2016-17, BSE programs sustained this growth. BSE program expansion is a priority and projected for SY17-18.

English Language Learners with disabilities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Kindergarten- 12th Grade

Expansion of programs for English Language Learners in District 75

For the 2015-16 School Year there were a total of 48 bilingual programs, three of which were dual language bilingual education programs. For the 2016-17 School Year there are a total of 48 bilingual programs. Included in these are a new Chinese TBE program, a middle school TBE Spanish Program, and a middle school TBE Yiddish program.

English Language Learners with disabilities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Kindergarten- 8th Grade

Expansion of Dual Language programs

The DOE has supported schools in expanding and opening new Dual Language programs. Since September 2014, the Department has opened 88 new bilingual programs, 69 of which are dual language programs. For the 2016-17 school year, the DOE will offer 469 bilingual programs across the city, including 182 Dual Language programs.

English Language Learners

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Kindergarten- 12th Grade

Public School Choice transfer program

NYSED works with the DOE to implement the Public School Choice program annually, where students who attend a State-designated low-performing school have the opportunity to transfer to a non-designated school. Low-income and low-performing students are prioritized to receive offers through this process. In 2015-16, 3,599 students received an offer to transfer to a different school through this program.

Students in State-designated, low-performing schools

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Elementary School

Equity & Excellence- Universal Literacy

Universal Literacy was established with the goal that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade. 103 reading coaches were hired during spring of 2016 and received intensive training over the summer. Schools also began preparatory work this past spring. 

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Elementary School- Middle School

Equity & Excellence- Algebra for All

Algebra for All was established to ensure that all students complete algebra no later than 9th grade, enabling them to be prepared for more advanced math courses in high school. By fall 2016, more than 400 teachers will have expanded professional development to meet this goal. 67 elementary schools are departmentalizing to ensure a specialized math teacher is helping students toward the goal of Algebra for All.

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

High School

Equity & Excellence- AP for All

AP for All seeks to give access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses for every high school students. New AP courses and preparatory courses will start in fall 2016. There will be new AP courses at 63 schools, including 25 that did not offer any last year. Teachers at these schools are also receiving subject-specific training for these courses.

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Pre-Kindergarten-12th Grade

Equity & Excellence- Computer Science for All

Through a public-private partnership with lead partners NYC Foundation for Computer Science Education (CSNYC) and Robin Hood, DOE is seeking to implement computer science education at each school level. 246 elementary, middle, and high schools participated in 15-16. These programs seek to not only increase access to these programs broadly, but to diversify the population of students in these courses. By end of 2015-16, the City released applications to add over 50 new middle and high-school programs for Fall 2016, an expansion of the Software Engineering Program and the AP Computer Science Principles course. The City has also begun working to offer new CS education in elementary schools and added a computer science track for the STEM institute.

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students

Middle School

Equity & Excellence- College Access for All Middle School

The College Access for All middle school program seeks to create a college-going culture for students, including a focus on making informed high school admissions choices. For the 2016-17 this program will be implemented in over 160 middle schools in 10 districts.

Families and communities

Promoting Quality Schools for All Students