UPDATED FACT SHEET:

P.S. 102 (12X102)

December 2010

Fact Sheet: Proposed Phase-out and Replacement Scenario for

P.S. 102 Joseph O. Loretan
Overview
 Based on an extensive review of data and community feedback, the New York City Department of Education (DOE)
has determined that P.S. 102 Joseph O. Loretan is unable to turn around and cannot provide a high-quality education
to its students. The DOE is proposing that P.S. 102 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 2014.
 The replacement process would also be gradual. A new zoned elementary school or schools would be opened in the
P.S. 102 building to serve zoned students and would begin enrolling pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, first, and second
grade students in September 2011. The new elementary school(s) would gradually grow as P.S. 102’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 P.S. 102 staff and families to ensure that all students receive the support they need to succeed in school.

Summary
 P.S. 102 has struggled for years. In 2010, only 28% of students were on grade level in math, and only 25% were
on grade level in English—putting P.S. 102 among the lowest-performing schools in the entire City.
 P.S. 102 earned a C grade last year on its Progress Report with an F in both the Student Performance and School
Environment sub-categories. P.S. 102 also received a rating of “Undeveloped with Proficient Features” on its most
recent Quality Review.
 P.S. 102 staff and families have worked hard to improve the school. The DOE has also offered considerable support to
P.S. 102. This has included extensive training for teachers and school leaders, assigning P.S. 102 a new assistant
principal who has extensive experience with challenging student populations, and helping the school boost its
attendance rate. Unfortunately, these efforts have not turned the school around.
 During conversations with the P.S. 102 community, we heard about the school’s record of poor performance
(parents called it “unacceptable”), a lack of communication between the school and families, and serious safety
problems. Staff members expressed similar feedback. Parents believe the school needs major improvement.

What would the proposal mean for current students?

If this proposal is approved, P.S. 102 would be phased out gradually over the next several years and would no longer
enroll new Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, first or second grade students after the end of this school year. However,
most current students would stay at P.S. 102 as it phases out.

Below are the enrollment plans for current P.S. 102 students, if P.S. 102 is phased out.

 Kindergarten and first grade students would be guaranteed a seat in the new elementary school(s) that would open
next September in the building where P.S. 102 is located.
 Second, third and fourth grade students would continue at P.S. 102. After students complete fifth grade, they would
participate in the Middle School Choice process and enroll in sixth grade at a middle school of their choice.
 Fifth grade students will participate in the Middle School Choice process for next year.

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

WWW.NYC.GOV/SCHOOLS
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Next school year, P.S. 102 would serve students in grades three, four, and five. Then, during the following school year,
P.S. 102 would serve students in grades four and five. Finally, during the 2013-14 school year, P.S. 102 would only
serve students in grade five. Phase out would be complete in June 2014.

Background
P.S. 102 Has Struggled for Years
 The overwhelming majority of P.S. 102 students remain below grade level in English language arts and mathematics.
 Last year, only 28% of students were performing on grade level in math—putting P.S. 102 in the bottom 4% of
schools serving elementary grades in New York City. In the 2008-2009 school year the school’s performance in Math
was in the bottom 2% of all elementary schools in New York City.
 Last year, only 25% of students were performing on grade level in English—putting P.S. 102 in the bottom 8% of
schools serving elementary grades in New York City. In 2008-2009 the school’s performance in English was in the
bottom 8% of all elementary schools in New York City.
 With so few students performing at grade level, P.S. 102 must make substantial progress to get back on track.
Unfortunately, P.S. 102 ranks in the bottom third of elementary schools citywide in terms of learning growth in math
and English. If such poor performance continues, P.S. 102 students will fall even further behind their peers in other
schools.
 P.S. 102 earned a C grade last year on its Progress Report, including an F grade for School Environment and Student
Performance. P.S. 102 did receive a B grade for Student Progress. This represents a decline from an overall B grade
on the school’s previous two Progress Reports, with D and F grades for School Environment during those years.
 P.S. 102 was rated “Undeveloped with Proficient Features” on its most recent Quality Review, indicating serious
deficiencies in the way that the school is organized to support student learning.
 The school’s attendance rate remains below most other elementary schools. The 2009-10 attendance rate was 91%
compared to the citywide elementary school average of 94%, putting P.S. 102 in the bottom 10% of schools serving
elementary grades in New York City.
 Safety issues have been a concern at the school. On the 2010 New York City School Survey, 67% of teachers
reported that discipline and order were not maintained at P.S. 102.

Demand for the School is Falling, Suggesting that Families Are Seeking Better Options
 Between 2005-2006 and 2009-2010, the number of students enrolled at P.S. 102 fell by 431 students.
 P.S. 102 is a zoned school, but only 60% of students residing in the P.S 102 zone choose to attend the school. This
means that 40% of students who are guaranteed a seat at the school are choosing to enroll elsewhere.

Despite Our Best Efforts, Performance at P.S. 102 Remains Low

We recognize that P.S. 102 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 P.S. 102 including:

Leadership Support:
 Placing a new assistant principal at the school; the new AP has extensive experience serving English language learners
and has been helping staff implement new strategies to meet these students’ unique needs.
 Offering to help the principal in developing the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan and setting school wide
goals.
 Connecting administrators, coaches, and data specialists with other schools to learn effective practices that could be
replicated at P.S. 102.

Instructional Support:
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 Training for the principal and assistant principals on the new state cirriculm and ways to improve instruction.
 Professional development for coaches and data specialists on planning, aligning curriculum across subject areas and
grade levels, data analysis, and how to individualize instruction.
 Helping teacher teams focus the needs of English language learners, students with disabilities, and students
performing below grade level.
 Offering to provide on-site training for teachers by math and literacy experts.

Operational Support:
 Helping to secure and implement a $30,000 Coordinated Early Intervening Services grant.
 One-on-one support for the principal and staff on budgeting, human resources, recruiting and retaining talented
teachers, building management, and operational compliance issues.
 Helping the school work with other campus schools to ensure coordinated use of facilities and shared spaces.
Student Support:
 Assigning a dedicated attendance teacher to develop plans to improve student attendance.
 Offering support as part of the Coordinated Early Intervening Services grant to reduce suspension rates.
We Know That We Can Do Better
Like many of our schools, P.S. 102 serves a high-need population: 13% of students require special education services
and 21% are English language learners. But other schools serving similar students have achieved far better results. These
include schools in P.S. 102’s peer group, representing the 40 most similar schools in New York City.

 At P.S. 86 Kingsbridge Heights, another Bronx school, 10% of students require special education services and 31% of
students are English language learners. At that school, 58% of students are on grade level in math and 41% are on
grade level in English.
 At P.S. 152 The Evergreen School, another Bronx school, 9% of students require special education services and 24%
of students are English language learners. At that school, 52% of students are on grade level in math and 35% are on
grade level in English.
 At P.S. 172 The Beacon School of Excellence, a Brooklyn elementary school that is also in P.S. 102’s peer group, 8%
of students require special education services and 31% of students are English language learners. P.S. 172 received the
highest overall progress report score of any elementary school in New York City, with a remarkable 98% of students
are on grade level in math, and 94% are on grade level 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 P.S. 102.

Community Feedback
On October 19, 2010, District 12 Superintendent Myrna Rodriguez held a School Leadership Team meeting and parent
meeting at the school to discuss what is working at P.S. 102, what isn’t working, and how to work together to better
serve students. Approximately 20 parents attended the parent meeting. Parents believe the school needs to change and
expressed numerous concerns. They said:

 The school’s record of performance is “unacceptable;” they are very upset about low achievement and what it means
for their children.
 There is minimal communication between the school and families.
 There are serious problems with student safety and bullying at the school.

The School Leadership Team expressed some similar concerns, particularly regarding school safety and discipline. They
also mentioned a lack of after-school programs for students.
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Supporting Current and Future Students

We Remain Focused on Helping P.S. 102 Students to Succeed
During the proposed phase out, the DOE will build on our past efforts to help the school by:
 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 P.S. 102 Community
As we work together to create new schools for the P.S. 102 community, we will keep in mind what had worked at P.S.
102 and do our best to incorporate those positive elements into P.S. 102’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 P.S. 102 is phased out.

What You Can Expect

Within the next two weeks, you will receive a letter notifying you that the formal proposal to phase out P.S. 102 has been
published and that a joint public hearing to be held at the school has been scheduled. Replacement plans will be
published in a separate proposal. The joint public hearing will be held in January by the DOE, District 12 Community
Education Council and the P.S. 102 School Leadership Team, among others. During this 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 P.S. 102 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, P.S. 102 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: 212-374-5159
Email:D12Proposals@schools.nyc.gov

We also encourage you to visit the website created to serve P.S. 102 at
http://schools.nyc.gov/community/planning/changes/bronx/X102. We will update that website regularly with important
dates, answers to frequently asked questions, and new information as it becomes available.