Gaps in English Regents’ Scores in NYC

Mr. Tall

papatall@gmail.com

Bread & Roses High School

INTRODUCTION

The school system in the US is uncharacteristically producing different results. Some schools are outperforming others in the same cities and even sometimes in the same district. The gap in achievement is even starker in subject areas such as Math and English. For this assignment you will only look at English Regent’s scores in the City of New York between the schools in Districts 1 and 5. You are part of a reflection group that must come up with recommendations for the mayor Michael Bloomberg.

TASK

You have been asked by your teacher to research the problem, identify its causes and mainly come up with solutions that might help alleviate the problem. You will research the data about scores between the 2 districts, you will make a comparison of the cohorts as they enter the high schools and follow them through their high school careers and compare them as they finish 12^th grade.

You will mostly look at how many 9^th graders pass the Regent’s in each district in a given year and follow the same groups up until they finish 12^th grade. You will look for see any trends that need corrections. You will submit the results of your research and your recommendations to an advisory panel set up by the mayor. You will write, as a group, a 5 paragraph paper in which you will use ample details to support your argument about the causes and present the solution.

PROCESS

You will be put in groups of 5 as each one of you will have a specific task for the assignment. You all will need to define the problem and strategize about how to research it. The paper will be 5 pages long, and you will use the 6 points of the PPA to write it. You will have to address each point of the PPA in the order prescribed by the assignment. The power point will have 12 slides, 2 for each point. Each one of you will be responsible for one slide. You will also have 10 minutes for your power point presentation highlighting the 6 following points.

· Step 1: define the problem

· Step 2: gather the evidence: NYCSCHOOLS

· Step 3: identify the causes

· Step 4: evaluate an existing policy

· Step 5: develop solutions

· Step 6: select best solution

RESOURCES:

· WWW.NYC.GOV/SCHOOLS

· WWW.GOOGLE.COM

· WWW.YAHOO.COM

· WWW.NYSED.GOV

EVALUATION

RUBRIC
Areas of assessment	4 Thoroughly combed through the data	3 Accurate with minimal errors	2 Incomplete inaccurate data or Completed with many errors	1 Incomplete and inaccurate date with many errors
Clearly identified the problem
Identified sources of problems.
Have a clear\\insight about problem and give highly appropriate solutions
Group Participation Statement

STANDARDS

Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.

Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.