Carol Burris on the Regents proposal for three different kinds of diplomas

Congratulations to Carol Burris, co-author of the principal letter critiquing the APPR, the new NY state teacher evaluation system. Her school, South Side HS in Rockville Center, was just named the second best high school in the state, according to US News and World Report, and it is one of few non-selective relatively diverse schools on the list.

Here is her explanation:  "We do great things by challenging all kids, supporting them and not sorting them."  It also can't hurt that her school has average class sizes of 17 (in math) to 23  (in social studies), according to its NYS report card.   Carol adds:

The typical class sizes for math, science and English are a bit higher than shown because we have every other day support classes in those subjects for kids who need them and those are twelve or fewer. We also keep our repeater classes (kids who failed Regents) under 12. You will never find an academic class in my school over 29 and 29 is rare.  Last year we were 16% free and reduced price lunch, and when kids have small class sizes, lots of support and high expectations they do very well.

Below, see her recent letter to the NY Board of Regents,  regarding their new proposal to create three different kinds of diplomas: CTE (vocational), regular and STEM.

Carol explains: “No matter how you cut it, it is tracking and we have a history of segregated classrooms that resulted from that practice.  This is not an argument against CTE programs or STEM programs.  This is an argument for preparing all of our children for college and career, and not watering down expectations and hope by forcing kids prematurely down different paths”

Burris Letter to Regents Tisch