The Knowledge Loom: The Success Story

International High School

Long Island City, NY

School Type: Public	School Setting: Urban
Level: High	School Design: Alternative
Content Presented By:
National Awards Program for Model Professional Development

Results

Evidence of effective professional development at IHS is found in student outcomes. IHS students' graduation rate in four years for the class of 1993 (54%) was higher than the rate, not only for NYC students (44%), but also for all LEP students (34%). In subsequent years, IHS graduation rates were 54.8%, 60.6%, and 72% for 1994, 1995, and 1996, respectively.

In contrast to some highly specialized, elite public schools in New York City that have entrance exams, IHS enrolls students based on needs. Nevertheless, IHS graduation rate as a function of total enrollment compared favorably to these schools. Rates were Stuyvesant (23%), Brooklyn Tech (20.9%), Bronx HS of Science (20.4%), IHS (20%), La Guardia High School of Music and Art (18.8%). In addition, IHS students improved their English more than similar students in NYC: 69.2% (IHS); 61.4% (LEP students in NYC) in 1994-95 and 70.5% (IHS); 65.4% (LEP in NYC) in 1995-96.

IHS students' course pass rates have increased since interdisciplinary course clusters were adopted and are dramatically better than NYC students as a whole. IHS pass rate in 1994-95 was 91%; between 1995-97 it was 93%.

Attendance is up: 93.2% (1994-95), 93.9% (1995-96), and 94.8% (1996-97). Drop-out rates are below the city average: 1.7% compared to 16.4% for New York City. College acceptance for IHS students is between 92% and 95% every year.

Finally, with essentially no student subgroups at IHS (all are limited English speaking and there are no special education students), the question of outcomes relative to reducing gaps doesn't apply. See chart below.

IHS Student Information

� 1992-3 1993-4 1994-5 1995-6 1996-7

Graduation Rates (in four years) 54% 54.8% 60.6% 72% NA

Course Pass Rates NA NA 91% 93% 93%

Attendance NA NA 93.2% 93.9% 94.8%

Students Improving Their English NA NA 69.2% 70.5% NA

�

Graduation Rate (comp. to total enrollment) 20%

Drop-out Rate 1.7% (compared to 16.4% for New York City)

College Acceptance Between 92% and 95% every year

The collaborative atmosphere among the faculty and staff is conducive to high morale and low absenteeism. Our teachers are absent due to self-treated illness on average 2.7 days per year as compared to the New York City average of 6.2 days per year. In the thirteen years of existence, no staff member has ever left for a comparable position in another New York City public school.

Site Visit Documentation

International High School's success was recorded based on a site visit conducted by the National Awards Program for Model Professional Development in 1997:

Criteria

Evidence

Expected changes in teaching and student learning that will result from participation in professional development are stated. Staff must specify in their personal PD plans the direct connection between their PD goals and planned activities and desired student outcomes. Participation in PD activities serves as a catalyst for change in teaching and student learning at team and schoolwide levels. All teachers and other staff who were interviewed clearly stated the importance of ultimately improving student learning through their own and the school's PD efforts.

The professional development goals and outcomes focus on increasing teachers' expertise in teaching to high standards. Major goals in 1997 were to develop performance-based assessment and rubrics tied to state standards along with ongoing curriculum development and effective project-based learning. The personnel peer review process is based on this connection between student and teacher performance, and teacher outcomes are judged against student outcomes (students participate in this process as well). Individual, team, and schoolwide goals and outcomes focus on high teaching standards.

There is a credible rationale for believing that given the attainment of the expected teacher outcomes, student outcomes will be achieved. The school's philosophy is that all PD activity is tied to achieving student outcomes. Abundant examples were evident, for instance, in the peer review process and documents, cluster team and coordinating council agendas and meeting notes, the Comprehensive Educational Plan, PD goals form, teachers' action research reports, and teacher portfolios. Interviews and observations confirmed the importance of student performance to these teachers. This basic tenet about the purpose and function of PD was very strong and contrasts sharply with attitudes and beliefs in schools without such a vision.

There is a continuous process for ensuring that the school community understands how the professional development components fit together and connect to the overall school or district improvement plan. It is impossible to work in this school - or even to visit it - without being keenly aware of individual, collegial, and schoolwide PD activity and opportunities. The larger community--parents, business, and other community members--is informed through handbooks and other documents. Community members, especially parents, are offered classes suited to their needs. 500 local businesses provide internships to IHS students. Students work closely with their internship supervisors on projects, conduct interviews of workers at the site, and write a paper that connects the internship experience with their academic learning. Students create an Internship Album that includes this information. Such projects "spread the word" throughout the community about the IHS program, including its professional development.

The data collected provide evidence that the professional development activities lead to improved teaching and student learning. Extensive statistics collected for many years provide evidence of positive student outcomes and improved and enhanced teaching. Furthermore, examination of student portfolios showed high levels of learning and performance in academic areas within their interdisciplinary clusters. Graduation portfolios are extensive, requiring complex projects, research, and writing, among other tasks. The NYC Annual School Report compares IHS students and students citywide; IHS students tend to do as well or better than citywide students on many indicators. In addition, staff interviews--and even unsolicited interviews with local university researchers (at the school when we were there) studying how the students learn English, school support staff, and community college staff--made it clear to us that IHS students exceed expectations. This success can be attributed to the strong focus in PD (and other school efforts resulting from PD) on improving student learning. The school's success is remarkable, given that students enter the school speaking little or no English and sometimes with no literacy skills even in their own language.
IHS teachers are highly committed to their work and their students. They work long hours to improve what they do, to help others, and to seek new knowledge, because they view themselves as professionals devoted to improving their students' learning.

The data collected provide evidence that the professional development activities lead to a narrowing of existing achievement gaps. Group differences are not so pronounced within this school since all students enter as limited English-speaking students, and most come from lower-income families. The students do differ in important ways from the general student population in the New York City school system (encompassing all five boroughs), however, especially with respect to language differences, even though language diversity is more and more common in all schools. Data indicate that IHS students do as well or better than the general NYC student population on many indicators. They have higher graduation rates, attendance rates, course pass rates than the average for the NYC district. Their success is impressive.

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