Community Education Council District 2 333 Seventh Avenue New York, New York 10001 Tel (212) 356-3915 Fax (212) 356-7506 www.cecd2.net Robin Broshi, President Shino Tanikawa, Vice President John Keller, Treasurer Josephine Ishmon, Recording Secretary Rose Hall, Student Member Amy Cheung

Lauren Chung Joanne Diaz Eric Goldberg Emily Hellstrom Maud Maron Sally Printz

Resolution # To Eliminate Attendance and Lateness from Middle School Admissions Rubrics Co-Sponsored by: Eric Goldberg, Emily Hellstrom, Sally Printz, Shino Tanikawa, WHEREAS, District 2 has 18 screened programs and 67% of middle school seats are screened; WHEREAS, school attendance and lateness during the 4th grade year are used as admissions criteria at 17 screened schools and 66% of middle school seats; WHEREAS, elementary school attendance and lateness are affected by family circumstances and factors beyond the control of the student; WHEREAS, 4th grade students depend on their primary caregiver(s) to ensure school attendance; WHEREAS, 4th grade students (9- and 10-year olds) depend upon their primary caregiver(s) to ensure timely arrival at school each day; WHEREAS, student attendance and lateness is influenced by a number of family characteristics, including resources for multiple transportation options, stable housing, caregivers with flexible schedules, food security, and caregiver health including physical disabilities; WHEREAS, many of these family characteristics are more prevalent among children from families with adequate financial resources and in permanent housing; WHEREAS, children are less likely to be absent/late for reasons beyond their control if they have stable housing, caregivers with stable and flexible employment, reliable transportation, and access to healthcare; WHEREAS, student health, wellness, and absence of disabilities are determining factors in school attendance and lateness; 1

WHEREAS, children with access to preventative and remedial medical care are more likely to prevent illness and absenteeism; WHEREAS, children with access to medication can have shortened illnesses and alleviate the severity of illnesses; WHEREAS, children from families with adequate financial resources will have suitable clothing or appropriate winter clothing; WHEREAS, absenteeism, particularly chronic absenteeism, is closely tied to poverty according to the report by the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School; WHEREAS, school attendance and lateness as admissions factors are likely to have a disproportionate benefit to children with secure and adequate home resources; WHEREAS, attendance and lateness are more likely indicative of a primary caregiver(s)’s time and financial resources than a student’s willingness and readiness to learn; WHEREAS, grade-level school attendance across NYC peaks in 4th and 7th grades; WHEREAS, sick students are sent to school in 4th grade to avoid absences that may impact middle school admissions; WHEREAS, sick students should remain home to decrease spread of illness and to promote general public health; WHEREAS, for example, there are District 2 middle schools that weight absences 10 times heavier than classroom science or social studies grades, and other schools that weight absences 2 times as much as classroom math or ELA grades; WHEREAS, there are District 2 screened middle schools which penalize students with only one, two, or three absences, an attendance rate of over 98%; WHEREAS, a child’s educational opportunities should not be tied to their socioeconomic status; WHEREAS, a child’s educational opportunities should not be tied to their primary caregiver(s) time and financial resources; WHEREAS, assessment and selection of Middle School students based on metrics that depend on family characteristics is discriminatory; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Community Education Council District 2 (CECD2) urges all screened Middle Schools to remove attendance and lateness from their admissions rubrics;

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THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that CECD2 urges all Middle Schools with screened programs to review their admissions rubric for equity and fairness so that we can eliminate admissions factors that confer advantages to students from well-resourced families.

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