Making a Case for Authentic Assessment at a New York High School

Summary

Urban Academy in New York City offers a unique approach to teaching constitutional law, eschewing textbooks and standardized tests in favor of mock trials and performance assessments. Students engage with contemporary legal cases, developing critical thinking and research skills. Despite the school's success, with 97% of graduates attending college, it faces challenges from policymakers mandating standardized tests. The community fights to preserve their innovative educational model, emphasizing depth of knowledge and real-world application over rote memorization.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Urban Academy in New York City uses a unique approach to teaching constitutional law, avoiding traditional textbooks and tests.
• 📚 Instead of standardized tests, students engage in mock trials, researching contemporary cases and performing as litigants and judges.
• 📈 The school is part of a larger consortium advocating for performance assessments over high-stakes tests like the Regent's exam.
• 📝 Students are tasked with complex projects such as writing research papers and applying mathematical concepts to demonstrate their capabilities.
• 🎓 Despite serving as a second chance for many students, Urban Academy boasts a 97% college continuation rate post-graduation.
• 🤔 The school's project-based learning approach encourages critical thinking and deep understanding of complex material.
• 📖 An external assessment system involves experts in various fields who engage with students in discussions to evaluate their readiness for college-level work.
• 🎭 Creative workshops, such as scriptwriting, are part of the curriculum, with students' work critiqued by Broadway actors.
• 📉 There is a strong opposition against reducing students' educational success to a single test score, arguing for a more holistic approach.
• 👩‍🏫 The script suggests that education decisions are being driven by policymakers rather than education professionals, potentially undermining effective teaching methods.
• 🌟 The script concludes that Urban Academy's performance-based system, though more demanding for faculty, provides lasting lessons that surpass the limitations of standardized testing.

Q & A

What is the main teaching method used at Urban Academy in New York City?

Urban Academy teaches constitutional law through researching contemporary cases and participating in mock trials, rather than using textbooks or standard tests.

What is the controversy surrounding Urban Academy's right to use its own assessment system?

The controversy is that Urban Academy is at the center of a court case regarding its right to use its own system of assessment instead of the state-mandated standardized tests, known as the Regent's exam.

How many schools across New York state are part of the consortium using performance assessment instead of high stakes tests?

There are thirty-seven schools across New York state that are part of a consortium using performance assessment instead of high stakes tests.

What are the components of Urban Academy's performance assessment system?

The performance assessment system at Urban Academy is based on a number of components that occur throughout the year and culminate in tasks such as writing research papers and applying mathematical concepts.

What is the main criticism of high stakes tests according to the script?

The main criticism of high stakes tests is that they lead to formulaic writing, don't invest students in their learning, and place too much emphasis on a single score.

How does Urban Academy ensure the quality of its students' work?

Urban Academy ensures the quality of its students' work by having them engage with external assessors who have advanced degrees or professional experience in relevant fields, and who discuss the students' work with them in depth.

What is the success rate of Urban Academy graduates going on to college?

Ninety-seven percent of Urban Academy graduates go on to college, which is considered remarkable given the school's student demographic.

What is the project approach to learning mentioned in the script?

The project approach to learning involves engaging students with rich material and allowing them to figure things out for themselves, rather than providing them with pre-digested textbook accounts.

How does the script describe the difference between the education at Urban Academy and traditional high schools?

The script describes Urban Academy as providing a more engaging and intellectually stimulating education compared to traditional high schools, where students often just take notes and read about subjects passively.

What was the outcome of the court case involving Urban Academy and the Regent's exams?

In November 2001, the New York Supreme Court ordered Urban Academy and other alternative assessment schools to reinstate the Regent's exams as a requirement for graduation.

What is the stance of the coalition fighting for the right to set their own assessment standards?

The coalition, consisting of students, teachers, administrators, and parents, is fighting for the right to set their own standards of assessment and not be reduced to a single test score.

What does the script suggest as a better approach to education reform?

The script suggests that education reform should involve breaking up large schools into smaller settings, investing more money into schools, increasing teacher training, and developing novel programs like the one at Urban Academy.