Focus Schools
The New York State Education Department has identified all eight of the Elmira City School District's elementary schools as "Schools in Good Standing."
The New York State Education Department identified Ernie Davis Middle School, Broadway Middle School, Elmira Free Academy and Southside High School as "Focus Schools" in August 2012.
Under this new accountability system, designations of "Focus Schools" are based on the count of students who did not score at proficient levels on the 2010-11 New York State assessments in English Language Arts and Math.
The designation of Focus Schools during the 2012-13 school year allowed the four schools the opportunity to participate in a school review that examined current instructional practices and identified ways to improve delivery of educational services to students at these schools. The information and feedback collected from the review is being used as the basis for the development of a School Comprehensive Education Plan (SCEP), which will define the action steps for meeting academic goals and returning to "Schools in Good Standing."
School Choice
Federal law requires school districts to offer parents the chance to transfer their children within the district from a Focus school to a school in Good Standing. In our district, this is not an option since both district middle schools and both district high schools have been identified as Focus Schools. As a result, there is no middle or high school in Good Standing within the district to which students could transfer. In addition, none of our eight elementary schools are subject to School Choice, since they all have been identified as being in Good Standing.
For more information about School Choice, please contact Derek Almy, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, at 735-3040 or dalmy@elmiracityschools.com.
