Bryant H.S. Scores A- In Quality Review
BY LIZ GOFF

Students, teachers and administrators at William Cullen Bryant H.S. aced a recent quality review performed by a British consulting firm hired by the city Department of Education (DOE) to rate the overall performance of public schools throughout New York City.

DOE sources told the Gazette that Bryant scored an "A-minus" in a quality review conducted by Cambridge Education Consultants.

Bryant, located on 31st Avenue in Long Island City, scored higher in the review than Manhattan's Stuyvesant H.S., considered one of the city's leading academic institutions. Sources said preliminary results indicate Stuyvesant scored a proficient rating in the survey.

Final scores for each of the city's public schools will be on the DOE Web site by late June, the sources said.

A DOE spokesperson said the city hired Cambridge for "just under $20 million" to judge the way schools use their resources, motivate students and develop outreach with parents.

"That's just part of the criteria used to determine school performance under this review," David Cantor, schools spokesperson, said.

High test scores, near-perfect attendance and a high graduation rate are instrumental in the performance rating of public schools, DOE sources said. They added that those three elements are not all there is to the education process.

The review process will cost the DOE "tens of millions of dollars a year", Cantor said. "But if you measure that cost against what parents and teachers are going to learn about their kids, it's money well spent."

Schools were rated in five categories, including how they use test data to prepare lessons, how teachers and administrators are using that data to make wise teaching choices and how schools include parents in the decision-making process.

Cambridge representatives spent three days at each school, Cantor said. Bryant underwent its review from May 7 through May 9, when representatives interviewed parents, teachers and administrators at the school.

DOE sources said Bryant is among a current 50 percent of schools reviewed that were rated "well developed" by Cambridge.

Schools that fell into the "well-developed" category received high marks for additional criteria, including how they improved the performance and progress of students in greatest need, encouraged students to attend classes (maintaining high attendance ratings), and engaged students in the school's instructional or educational programs.

Students, parents, teachers and administrators at Bryant are riding a wave of excitement over their rating.

"We were very pleased to learn that we received an A-minus," said Bryant Principal Christopher Pelleteri. "The review gives us a course to develop future strategy."

Final scores and review comments for each of the city's public schools can be obtained online at www.nycdoe.gov by late June.