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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alexandra Rathmann-Noonan, Director of School Support at New York Performance Standards Consortium
7:29:28
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130 sec
Alexandra Rathmann-Noonan from the New York Performance Standards Consortium testifies about their alternative graduation system using performance assessments instead of Regents exams. She highlights the success of consortium schools and expresses gratitude for the baseline funding of the Affinity Schools Program.
- The consortium includes 38 district public schools, mostly in New York City
- Consortium schools have higher graduation rates, college enrollment, and persistence compared to similar students in other schools
- Rathmann-Noonan invites council members to visit consortium schools and observe graduation PBAT oral defenses
- She advocates for extended funding for other educational programs such as restorative justice, learning to work, and immigrant family communications
Alexandra Rathmann-Noonan
7:29:28
Good afternoon chairs Brandon and Joseph and members of the council.
7:29:32
Thank you for allowing us to testify today.
7:29:34
My name is Alexandra Rathmanunen and I work with the New York Performance Standards Consortium.
7:29:40
The consortium is a group of 38 district public schools mostly in New York City that over the past twenty five years have had a waiver from the Board of Regents that have allowed us to graduate students using a system of performance assessments in place of the regents exams.
7:29:54
You heard earlier from one of our students, Avery.
7:29:58
Our work in performance assessment is pointed to as a national model including by New York State's graduation measure initiative and the plan pilot.
7:30:06
But what makes consortium schools special goes beyond graduation requirements.
7:30:10
Like Avery said, it's the type of student driven empowering learning that can happen in classrooms that are not required to teach to the test.
7:30:18
Consortium schools have a history of success.
7:30:20
Our students have long had higher graduation rates, college enrollment rates, and college persistence than similar students in other schools.
7:30:28
This council and the city have supported the work of the consortium over the past ten years through a program called the Affinity Schools Program.
7:30:36
Through Affinity, non profit organizations that support unique groups of schools receive funding to support implementation of these models.
7:30:42
We are very grateful that after several cycles of year to year extensions, this council pushed for and the mayor's office has agreed to baseline funding for Affinity so that we can continue to provide support with more certainty about its sustainability over time.
7:30:56
We also would like to extend an invitation to members of this council to visit a consortium school and participate in our upcoming graduation PBAT oral defenses during which students defend their extensive written work in discussion with external evaluators.
7:31:10
As New York City looks to expand pathways to graduation beyond the regions, we can be helpful in providing a model for an even more rigorous alternative.
7:31:18
And we are grateful for the council's recognition of the importance of supporting innovative school models like ours through the affinity program.
7:31:25
We also wanna advocate for a similar extension of funding for other educational programs including restorative justice, learning to work, and the immigrant family communications and outreach programs that provide vital support to the students in consortium schools.
7:31:37
Thank you.