By Zach Patberg
Hillcrest in Jamaica Estates was cited with Requiring Academic Progress for the third year in a row after only about 45 percent of its English Language Learner seniors passed an English and math exam that met the graduation requirement, the report for 2003-04 showed.The school also did not make the report's passing measure, called Adequate Yearly Progress, because about half of its Hispanic students did not pass the math exam.Fresh Meadow's Francis Lewis, which has consistently been considered one of the city's top high schools, was also cited for the second consecutive year after 40 percent of its English Language Learner seniors failed to pass the English test. In addition, only 94 percent of black and Hispanic students showed up for the math exam – just under the required 95 percent participation level.Despite inadequate performances in those areas, the report showed both schools maintaining graduation rates and overall test scores well above the city average.The report cards are compiled every year by the city and state to monitor school progress. Hillcrest was first cited in 2002 after it did not meet the state's performance standards the previous year. If it does not make the grade this school year, the school will have two years to implement a progressive action plan before the state forces it to restructure. The same goes for Francis Lewis, although it has until next year to get its head above water.A major problem that both schools face, according to their principals, is overcrowding.Francis Lewis was 70 percent over capacity in 2004, with more than 4,000 students comprised of almost half Asian, 16 percent black, 23 percent white and 19 percent Hispanic youth, the report showed.Hillcrest exceeded capacity by 14 percent last year. Of its 3,000 students, about half are black, 22 percent are Hispanic, 24 percent are Asian and 4 percent are white, according to the report. “We have funding to provide extra services but often don't have the space to do it,” said Francis Lewis Principal Jeffrey Scherr.Both he and Hillcrest's principal, Stephen Duch, said the report's results for their English Language Learner students misrepresented the actual success rate within that group.Duch said the report only accounted for his 82 seniors still in the English Language Learner program and not the 100 or so who successfully tested out of ELL their freshman or sophomore years.”It's why you're seeing so many schools fail in that category,” said Duch, adding that including all English Language Learner students in the scoring “is really the fairest way.”Scherr said that unlike other groups such as minorities and the disabled, the English Language Learner group changes over the course of four years.”By graduation year we're usually left with only the ones with the most problems,” he said.Both principals said they are taking proactive steps, such as afternoon math tutoring and a Saturday ELL program, to improve scores among their Hispanic and English Language Learner students.Reach reporter Zach Patberg by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 155.
