SINI Letter

Dear OWN Families:
Based on student performance on the 2011 Grade 3-8 NYS Testing in English Language Arts,
Mathematics, and Science, the State Education Department determines if the school and
subgroups of students meet the state’s goal of Annual Yearly Progress. There are 7 subgroups
(All students, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander, White,
students with disabilities, limited English proficient, and economically disadvantaged. In
mathematics, OWN met the Adequate Yearly Progress measure for all seven subgroups.
However, in English Language Arts, OWN did not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress measure
for all seven subgroups. The subgroup of Students with Disabilities did not meet AYP in
English Language Arts. Because the subgroup of Students with Disabilities did not meet the
states’ measure Our World Neighborhood Charter School has been designated as a School in
Need of Improvement (Year 1—Basic).

The NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB) ACT of 2001 is a federal law to improve education for
all children. It holds schools responsible for results, gives parents greater choices, and promotes
teaching methods that work. In accordance with NCLB and because Our World Neighborhood
is a Title I school in need of improvement the school is required to offer students from lowincome
families extra help outside of school hours. This help is called supplemental educational
services (SES). It is meant to help students catch up if they are behind in important subjects like
reading, language arts, and mathematics. The school must continue to provide these services
until the school is no longer classified as a School In Need of Improvement.

Supplemental educational services take place outside of school hours and in many different
locations. These services are free to students. The school, not families, pays for them. The
services may include:

• tutoring (one-on-one teaching),
• after-school classes,
• weekend classes, or
• summer school.

The New York State Education Department approves the qualifications of supplemental
educational services providers. Parents, not schools, must arrange transportation for children
participating in Supplemental Educational Services (SES).

How can you learn more about supplemental educational services for your child?

• Go online. The New York State Education Department website lists and approved
supplemental educational services providers at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/nclb/ses/.
• Make a choice. You have an important role in selecting a supplemental services program
for your child. Schools will not make this choice for students. You can ask school officials
to help you select the right program for your child.
• Be active. Together with the supplemental services provider and school staff, parents
should be involved in setting specific learning goals for their child. These goals must say
how your child’s progress in the program will be measured. The program activities must
be designed to help your child make academic progress.
• Find out how to help. As a parent, you can ask your child’s teacher, the school principal,
or a leader of your school’s parent group what steps the school is taking to improve and
how you can help your child and your child’s school make progress toward academic
goals.

This is one of a series of NY parent information sheets about the federal education law No Child
Left Behind. Part A, Section 1116 (e) of No Child Left Behind covers supplemental educational
services. For more information you may also:

• Ask your principal
• Visit the State Education Department's NCLB website
• Visit the U.S. Department of Education web site especially designed for parents at
http://www.ed.gov/parents/

Beginning in September 2011 as OWN began to anticipate the ways it would use its funds to
support higher student achievement, the school engaged in a more detailed review of student
achievement on the NYS English Language Arts exam. The school has already made
adjustments to the ways it will use Title I funds. First the school has set aside funds to
implement the mandates of providing Supplemental Educational Services (SES), many of you
have already signed up for this program. In addition, the school will be utilizing an online
Reading and Mathematics support program called Successmaker to provide additional support
and opportunities for enrichment to all students.

OWN now has three full-time Reading Specialists (two serve the K-5 program and one serves
the gr. 6-8 program). In addition, in seeking to improve the achievement of our Students with
Disabilities on the NYS English Language Arts programs, teachers are working more closely
with the special education department to target instruction on the skills that will help students
to reach level 3 and 4.

In the new year we will have additional information sessions at the monthly PTO meetings
about all programs that are funded by Title I and also about the intervention programs that the
school has in place to ensure that all students are successful on the NYS Examinations.
If you have any questions please give me a call.

Respectfully,
Brian Ferguson
Executive Director