New York

Piloting a Searchable Database of Dropout Prevention Programs in Nine Low-Income Urban School Districts in the Northeast and Islands Region

Despite evidence that some dropout prevention programs have positive effects, whether districts in the region are using such evidence-based programs has not been documented. This report details a pilot project to generate and share knowledge by building a searchable database of dropout programs and policies implemented in nine midsize urban school districts.

How State Education Agencies in the Northeast and Islands Region Support Data-Driven Decision-Making in Districts and Schools

The report examines the initiatives of state education agencies (SEAs) in the Northeast and Islands Region to support data-driven decision-making in districts and schools and describes the service providers hired to support this work. The report identifies four components of data-driven decision-making initiatives and finds that not all initiatives include all four.

Achievement Gap Patterns of Grade 8 American Indian and Alaska Native Students in Reading and Mathematics

Focusing on student proficiency in reading and math from 2003/04 to 2006/07, this report from REL Northwest compares gaps in performance on state achievement tests between grade 8 American Indian and Alaska Native students and all other grade 8 students in 26 states serving large populations of American Indian and Alaska Native students. Of REL-NEI’s nine jurisdictions, only New York State met the inclusion criteria for this project.

Parent Involvement Strategies in Urban Middle and High Schools in the Northeast and Islands Region
Increasing parent involvement has been identified as a priority in multiple Northeast and Islands Region jurisdictions and is consistent with requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Title I. Yet, while the benefits of parent involvement are documented across the K–12 years, less is known about what strategies schools are using to engage parents as their sons and daughters move from elementary to middle school and high school. This project developed and field-tested a protocol for documenting what parent involvement policies, programs, and practices are being implemented by states, districts, and schools at the secondary level, and how these efforts are evaluated.

Processes and Challenges in Identifying Learning Disabilities Among English Language Learner Students in Three New York State Districts
To help districts accurately identify students who are English language learners (ELLs) and also have learning disabilities, this study examines practices and challenges in the processes applied in three New York State districts in identifying learning disabilities among students who are ELLs. Using interviews with district and school personnel and documents from state and district websites, the study finds both similarities and differences in practices, with more differences in the prereferral process than in the referral process. It also identifies eight challenges to the identification of learning disabilities in ELLs and five interrelated elements that appear to be important for avoiding misidentification of learning disabilities among students who are ELLs.

How Eight State Education Agencies in the Northeast and Islands Region Identify and Support Low-Performing Schools and Districts
This report describes and analyzes how eight state education agencies (SEAs) in the Northeast and Islands Region—those of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Vermont—identify and support low-performing schools and districts under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).

An Analysis of State Data on the Distribution of Teaching Assignments Filled by Highly Qualified Teachers in New York Schools
New York rural schools and districts have a high percentage of core teaching assignments filled by highly qualified teachers, with only small differences across key factors such as school poverty and school need for improvement. Urban schools, particularly those in New York City, have fewer core assignments filled by highly qualified teachers.

A Description of Foundation Skills Interventions for Struggling Middle-Grade Readers in Four Urban Northeast and Islands Region School Districts
This study describes how four midsize urban school districts in the Northeast and Islands Region were providing foundation skills assessments and programs to struggling middle-grade readers. Researchers found variations, but also some similarities, in the districts’ use of tests and programs.

Performance Patterns for Students with Disabilities in Grade 4 Mathematics Education in New York State
This report describes the mathematics performance of fourth-graders with disabilities across schools categorized by need-to-resource capacity and compares their performance by school with that of general education students across New York State from 2003 to 2005. It finds that the percentage of students with disabilities scoring proficient increased over time and that the proficiency gap between this subgroup and general-education students narrowed by 1 percentage point.

Math Education Practices for Students with Disabilities and Other Struggling Learners: Case Studies of Six Schools in Two Northeast and Islands Region States
This report describes in-depth practices at six schools that are making targeted efforts to improve math education for students with disabilities and other struggling learners. It examines each school’s practices for improving the math learning of all students as well as specific supports for students with disabilities and other struggling learners and identifies the challenges that schools face in serving students with diverse needs.

Key Features of State Response to Intervention (RTI) Initiatives in the Northeast and Islands
The report analyzes the RTI-related initiatives, policies, regulations, and structures for support in all nine REL-NEI jurisdictions. It finds that the six New England states and New York support RTI as an overall school instructional-improvement approach or an approach to determining special-education eligibility. It also finds that RTI documents in the seven jurisdictions address the eight core features of RTI as defined by the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities.

What Characteristics of Bullying, Bullying Victims, and Schools Are Associated with Increased Reporting of Bullying to School Officials?
This study tested 51 characteristics of bullying victimization, bullying victims, and bullying victims’ schools to determine which were associated with reporting to school officials. It found that 11 characteristics in two categories—bullying victimization and bullying victims—showed a statistically significant association with reporting. The study also notes the high percentage (64 percent) of victims who indicated the bullying was not reported.

Do States Have Certification Requirements for Preparing General Education Teachers to Teach Students with Disabilities? Experience in the Northeast and Islands Region
More than 6 million students with disabilities are served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004. Two-thirds of these students are in at least one course taught by general education teachers. Due to the increased inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, it is essential for general education teachers to have the knowledge and skills needed to teach students with disabilities. This report on teacher certification requirements in the Northeast and Islands Region finds that eight of the nine jurisdictions require some coursework in teaching students with disabilities for initial licensure of general education teachers.

This study examines two state-supported formative assessment initiatives that promote a consensus definition of formative assessment endorsed by the Council of Chief State School Officers. It describes the primary components of the two initiatives and the strategies that state, district, and school leaders report using to support implementation of each initiative.