New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is taking an important step in promoting higher standards in the New York public school system – this time focusing on raising the bar for classes for the gifted (see the related article in the New York Times). Recent nationwide reforms have mainly targeted low-performing schools and districts, oftentimes taking for granted relevant benchmarks for those that are regarded as “high-performing.” Not only are gifted standards being reexamined, but they are also being accompanied by assessments that allow for nationwide achievement comparisons, which permit the school system to admit those students who score in the 95th percentile or above in the nation to enter gifted classes.
This holistic approach to standard-setting is not only raising questions of what is not acceptable in our education system, but also what is worth praising. These steps are precisely the ones we need to shake our system out of its dangerous comfort zone.
Arian Hassani | Program Associate
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