UPDATED FACT SHEET:

I.S. 195 (05M195)

December 2010

Fact Sheet: Proposed Phase-out and Replacement Scenario for

I.S. 195 Roberto Clemente
Overview
 Based on an extensive review of data and community feedback, the New York City Department of Education (DOE)
has determined that I.S. 195 Roberto Clemente is unable to turnaround and cannot provide a high-quality education to
its students. The DOE is proposing that I.S. 195 be phased out and replaced.
 Proposing to phase out and replace a school is the most difficult decision we make. We are proposing this
action because we think it’s the right thing for current and future students in this community.
 The phase out process would be gradual and happen over the next several years. The school would complete phasing
out in June 2013.
 The replacement process would also be gradual. A new middle school would open in the building where I.S. 195 is
located and begin enrolling sixth grade students next September. The new middle school would grow gradually as I.S.
195’s enrollment decreases.
 We hope you share our view that we can—and must—do better for students. The DOE will continue to work closely
with I.S. 195 staff and families to ensure that all students receive the support they need to succeed in school.

Summary
 I.S. 195 Roberto Clemente has struggled for years. In 2010, only 13% of students were on grade level in English
language arts (ELA), and only 17% were on grade level in math—putting I.S. 195 among the lowest-
performing schools in New York City.
 I.S. 195 earned an overall D grade last year on its Progress Report, with D grades on the Student Performance, Student
Progress, and School Environment sub-sections.
 I.S. 195 staff and families have worked hard to improve the school. The DOE also offered considerable support to I.S.
195, including extensive training for administrators and teachers, helping I.S. 195 revise and customize its curriculum,
and implementing strategies to improve student attendance. Unfortunately, these efforts have not turned the school
around.
 During conversations with the I.S 195 community, we heard concerns about the school’s problems with
discipline and a lack of communication between the school and families. While parents did have positive
feedback about the school’s use of technology and creation of a Web site, we do not believe these efforts are
enough to move I.S. 195 in the right direction.

What would the proposal mean for current students?

If this proposal is approved, I.S 195 would be phased out gradually over the next several years. Current sixth and seventh
grade students would stay at I.S. 195 as it phases out.

Below are enrollment plans for current I.S. 195 students, if it is phased out.

 Current sixth, seventh and eighth grade students will complete middle school at I.S. 195.

If I.S. 195 is phased out, the school would no longer admit new sixth grade students after the end of this school year.
Next school year, I.S. 195 would serve students in grades seven and eight. Then, during the following school year, I.S.
195 would only serve students in grade eight. Phase out would be complete in June 2013.

NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION • 52 CHAMBERS STREET • NEW YORK, NY 10007 •

WWW.NYC.GOV/SCHOOLS
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Background
I.S. 195 Has Struggled for Years
 The overwhelming majority of I.S. 195 students remain below grade level in English Language Arts and math.
 During the 2009-2010 school year, only 13% of students were performing on grade level in English and only
17% were on grade level in math—putting I.S. 195 in the bottom 10% of all middle schools in New York City.
 In 2008-2009, performance in English and math was in the bottom quarter of middle schools in New York City.
 With so few students performing at grade level, I.S. 195 students must make substantial progress to get back on track.
Unfortunately, I.S. 195 ranks in bottom 5% of all middle schools citywide in terms of growth in English and in the
bottom 8% of middle schools citywide in terms of growth in math. If such poor performance continues, I.S. 195
students will fall even further behind their peers in other schools.
 I.S. 195 earned an overall D grade last year on its Progress Report, with D grades on the Student Performance, Student
Progress, and School Environment sub-sections. This represents a decline from overall B grades on the school’s
previous two Progress Reports.
 I.S. 195 was rated Proficient on its most recent Quality Review in 2009-2010. During Quality Reviews, experienced
educators spend several days visiting the school, observing classrooms and talking with staff, students, and parents.
Schools are rated on a four-point, with “Well Developed” as the highest rating. Proficient represents a two out of four.
 The school’s attendance rate is persistently low. The attendance rate last year was 88%, well below the citywide
average of 92% for middle schools. In fact, this attendance rate places I.S. 195 in the bottom 10% of middle schools
citywide.
 Safety issues have been a concern at the school. On the 2009-2010 School Survey, more than one in three
students—35%—reported feeling unsafe in the hallways, bathrooms, and locker rooms at I.S. 195. In addition,
74% of teachers reported that discipline and order are not maintained at the school.

Demand for the School is Declining, Suggesting Families are Seeking Better Options
 Between 2006-2007 and 2009-2010, the number of students enrolled at I.S. 195 fell by 350 students.

Despite Our Best Efforts, Performance at I.S. 195 Remains Low

We recognize that I.S. 195 staff members have worked hard to improve the school, but the school has not turned around.
To help the school’s efforts to improve performance, the DOE has offered numerous supports to I.S.195 including:

Leadership Support:
 Extensive leadership training and mentoring for the principal and assistant principals to help them set clear
goals for the school, develop the school’s Comprehensive Education Plan and Language Allocation Plan, and
create strategies to increase student achievement.
 Fostering opportunities for administrators to connect with colleagues in other schools to observe successful
practices
 Providing clarity to school leaders on the results of the school’s Quality Review.
Instructional Support:
 Teacher training on how to analyze student data and use it to make instructional decisions.
 Support for teacher teams in using data analyses to improve instruction for targeted student populations such as
English language learners, special education students, and students performing below grade level.
 The revision and customization of I.S. 195’s science, math, and ELA curriculum to better meet students’ needs
and the development of a legal studies curriculum with one of the school’s enrichment partners, Latham and
Watkins.
 Monthly meetings with data specialists to help school staff collect and analyze data.
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 Assisting school leadership in establishing instructional walkthroughs and routine reviews of student work.

Operational Support:
 Guidance on implementing $290,000 in grant funds: the school received a School In Need of Improvement
grant from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) worth $65,000 per year and a $225,000
District In Need of Improvement grant, also from NYSED.
 Coaching for school staff on budgeting, human resources issues, teacher recruitment, building management, and
other compliance issues.

Student Support:
 Support to improve student attendance through the hiring of attendance coordinators who call families and visit
students’ homes and through staff training on how to identify attendance patterns.
 Facilitation of after school partnerships with General Electric, Columbia Teacher’s College, Latham and
Watkins, and Beacon after school program
 Additional funding to enable I.S. 195 families to participate in Computers for Youth.
We Know That We Can Do Better
Like many schools, I.S. 195 serves a high-need population: 16% of students require special education services and 22%
are English language learners. But other schools serving similar students have achieved far better results. These include
schools in I.S. 195’s peer group, representing the 40 schools most similar to I.S. 195 in New York City.

 At The School for Inquiry and Social Justice in the Bronx, 20% of students require special education services and
10% are English language learners. At that school, 30% of students are on grade level in English and 45% are on
grade level in math.
 At M.S. 247, which is located approximately two miles away from I.S. 195, 12% of students require special education
services and 38% of students are English language learners. At that school, 26% of students are on grade level in
English and 64% are on grade level in math. M.S. 247 is also in the top 20% of all schools citywide in terms of
helping students make progress in math and in the top 25% of all schools citywide in helping students make progress
in English.
 While all students are still not where we’d like them to be, these schools are getting far better results while serving a
similar mix of students to I.S. 195.

Community Feedback
On October 29, 2010, District 5 Superintendent Gale Reeves held a School Leadership Team meeting and parent meeting
at the school to discuss what is working at I.S. 195, what isn’t working, and how to work together to better serve
students. Approximately 40 parents attended the parent meeting. While they expressed support for the school, they had
concerns about several issues. Parents said:

 The school has a history of trouble with student discipline.

 They wished more parents were actively involved in the school.

The School Leadership Team expressed similar concerns. However, they also said they believe that staff members have
been working to help the school make progress. Unfortunately, these improvement efforts have not moved I.S. 195 in the
right direction.

Supporting Current and Future Students

We Remain Focused on Helping I.S. 195 Students Succeed
During the proposed phase out, the DOE will build on past efforts to help the school by:
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 Providing teacher training around issues including curriculum planning, improving teaching practices, and tailoring
instruction to individual student needs.
 Fostering opportunities for teachers and administrators to connect with colleagues in other more successful schools,
allowing them to learn from one another, improve teaching, and better support students.
 Facilitating partnerships with community-based organizations to support youth development initiatives at the school.

Plans for new schools for the I.S. 195 Community

As we work together to create better options for the I.S. 195 community, we will keep in mind what had worked at I.S.
195 and do our best to incorporate those positive elements into I.S. 195’s replacement plans. For example:
 We will work with the community to retain partnerships with community based organizations that are offering
valuable services to the school community; and
 We will consider what elements of the school structure are working and do our best to include those features in a
replacement school, if I.S. 195 is phased out.

What You Can Expect

In January, we will host a joint public hearing with the District 5 Community Education Council and the I.S. 195 School
Leadership Team, among others. As soon as the hearing has been scheduled, we will let you know and will also share
with you the formal proposal to phase out I.S. 195. Replacement plans for the school will be published in a separate
proposal. During the hearing, community members, including parents and students, will be able to share their thoughts
on the phase out and replacement proposals.

The proposals to phase out and replace I.S. 195 will be voted on by the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), which is
composed of members appointed by Mayor Bloomberg and the five Borough Presidents, during a public meeting
scheduled for the first week in February 2011. During this meeting, the public will have another opportunity to
comment on the proposals. If the PEP approves the proposals, I.S. 195 will not accept new students next school year and
replacement schools will begin growing in the building, starting next September.

Sharing Your Concerns and Questions

The DOE is seeking your feedback on the proposal. We will record your comments and include them in our analysis of
public feedback, which is presented to the Panel for Educational Policy prior to their vote on the proposal. Please submit
any comments you have at:

Phone: 212-374-3466
Email: D05Proposals@schools.nyc.gov

We also encourage you to visit the website created to serve I.S. 195 at
http://schools.nyc.gov/community/planning/changes/manhattan/IS195. We will update that website regularly with
important dates, answers to frequently asked questions, and new information as it becomes available.