Brooklyn

The Proposed Co-Location of a New High School Millennium Brooklyn High School with the Secondary School for Law, the Secondary School for Journalism, and the Secondary School for Research in School Building K460

John Jay Campus (K460) currently houses three schools: the Secondary School for Research (15K464), the Secondary School for Journalism (15K463), and the Secondary School for Law (15K462). In 2009-2010, John Jay Campus had a target capacity to serve 2,104 students, and the building enrolled 1,477 students, yielding a building utilization of 70% of target capacity. This means that the building was “underutilized” and had extra space to accommodate additional students.

The New York City Department of Education (“DOE”) has proposed to site a new selective high school, Millennium Brooklyn (15K684), in John Jay Campus, located at 237 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215, in Community School District 15. If this proposal is approved, the school would be co-located with the three existing 6-12 schools in John Jay Campus. A “co-location” means that two or more school organizations are located in the same building and may share common spaces like auditoriums, gymnasiums, and cafeterias.

As stated in two separate Educational Impact Statements (“EIS”) published on December 3, 2010, the DOE has proposed “grade truncations” for the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism, which means those schools would gradually phase out grades 6-8 and eventually serve only grades 9-12. Co-locating Millennium Brooklyn is not contingent on truncating the middle school grades at the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism. There is currently sufficient space in John Jay Campus for all four schools to operate at scale. With the addition of a new high school there would be approximately 1,725-1,825 students served in the building at full scale.

On December 3, 2010, the DOE published an EIS describing a “co-location” of Millennium Brooklyn in the John Jay. We continue to seek feedback on this proposal.

Educational Impact Statement

Read the full description of the proposal here.

Sharing Your Concerns and Questions

The DOE is seeking your feedback.

In addition, parents, staff, and other community members may submit questions and comments at any time:

Benjamin Taylor
(212) 374-0208
HS.Proposals@schools.nyc.gov .

We look forward to working with you!

Joint Public Hearing

Date:         January 11, 2011
Time:         6:00 p.m.
Location:   John Jay Campus, 237 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Archive:     Read a complete transcript of this hearing.

Panel for Educational Policy Vote on the Proposal

Date:         January 19, 2011
Time:         6:00 p.m.
Location:   Brooklyn Technical High School, 29 Fort Greene Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217

For more information, see the PEP website .

Background

The DOE strives to ensure that all students in New York City have access to a high-quality school at every stage of their education. Continuing to allocate space and resources to schools that do not attract students is neither efficient nor equitable. It is critical to assess each school’s capacity to serve the needs of its students when making decisions regarding space and facilities.

The proposed co-location of Millennium Brooklyn high school in John Jay Campus is part of the DOE’s central goal to create high-quality educational options for all students. In an effort to expand the pool of options for academically gifted students and to reach high-achieving students in underserved communities, the DOE has opened six new selective schools since 2002. Selective schools provide more of the city’s top-performing students with a rigorous high school experience where they are surrounded by other high-performing peers, challenged to think critically, and free to explore new academic interests and extracurricular activities. If approved, Millennium Brooklyn would be the seventh selective school to open under this initiative.

Middle schools typically have extremely varied and rich instructional offerings, especially in the sciences and languages, as well as extra-curricular activities. As enrollment continues to dwindle at the Secondary School for Journalism, the school will lose the resources necessary to sustain a high-functioning learning environment. It would become extremely challenging to align teacher and student schedules, effectively program students, offer a wide variety of classes and enrichment activities, and focus on building strong school culture. As a result, the learning outcomes for students in the building would be severely compromised.

Admission to Millennium Brooklyn would be open to any student in the city who meets the school’s selection criteria through the citywide high school application process. Priority would be given to students who reside in Brooklyn, however, students in all five boroughs would be eligible to apply. Millennium Brooklyn would gradually phase-in by adding one grade per academic year beginning with a ninth grade cohort of approximately 108 students in September 2011. The school is expected to reach full scale in 2014-2015 and would serve approximately 425-450 students in grades nine through twelve.

Millennium Brooklyn would also offer an ASD NEST program, a specialized program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that is not widely available in other New York City schools. Students with ASD are taught in a classroom alongside general education students. Currently, there are no high schools in Brooklyn that offer comparable programs for students with ASD.

While there is not an immediate need to create additional high school seats in Brooklyn, the community has made the DOE aware of the need to provide more high-quality high school options. Allocating underutilized space to open a new selective high school in Brooklyn would expand the range of options available to students and families, and, in the long-run, would increase the number of students retained in the borough. Over the last few years the number of students enrolled in Brooklyn high schools has steadily declined, suggesting that students and families are seeking options outside of the borough that are better matched to their interests and needs. All students deserve access to an outstanding education regardless of their zip code. The DOE is committed to investing in schools that optimize student performance and ensure that every student graduates from high school equipped with the skills necessary to achieve success in college, careers, and in life.

Key Facts

■ John Jay Campus has the capacity to serve 2,104 students. In 2009-2010—the most recent year for which audited enrollment data is available—the building only served 1,477 students, yielding a utilization rate of just 70% of target capacity.

This means that the building is “underutilized” and has extra space to accommodate additional students.

■ If the proposals to co-locate Millennium Brooklyn and truncate the middle school grades at the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism are approved, over the next three years, the proposed grade spans for the schools in John Jay Campus would be as follows:

During the 2011-2012 school year, the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism would serve students in grades 7-12. In 2012-2013, each school would serve students in grades 8-12, and finally, in 2013-2014, each school would serve students in grades 9-12 only.
Millennium Brooklyn would open in John Jay Campus in 2010-2011 and would serve students in grade nine with an enrollment of approximately 108 students. Each year, it would add another grade. In 2014-2015, it would serve grades 9-12 with approximately 425-450 students when it achieves “full scale” and completes its phase-in.
The Secondary School for Research would continue to serve students in grades 6-12.

■ The John Jay Campus building has adequate capacity to accommodate the new school at full scale as well as the existing schools in the building. Once the new school has completed its phase-in and the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism truncate their middle school grades, there would be approximately 1,725-1,825 students served in the building.

■ The John Jay Campus building also houses an alternative learning center and a community based organization. The DOE does not anticipate that any of these programs would be adversely impacted by this proposal as there would still be sufficient space in the building to accommodate both programs.

■ Opening Millennium Brooklyn in the John Jay Campus building would create approximately 425-450 additional high school seats in Brooklyn.

■ Millenium Brooklyn would offer an ASD NEST program, a specialized program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that is not widely available in other New York City schools

Because there are currently no high schools in Brooklyn that offer comparable programs for students with ASD, Millennium Brooklyn would provide a unique, continuous educational experience and supportive environment for students with ASD, while also providing an additional high school option for general education students.

■ By 2015, Millennium Brooklyn would have completed its phase-in, and the projected utilization for John Jay Campus at that point would range between 82-87%.

This means that the building has adequate capacity to accommodate the full expansion of the new school. The building is not projected to be fully utilized even with the addition of the new school.

■ As in the past, students would be eligible to apply to any high school program of their choice through the citywide high school application process. Entry to the new school would not be limited to District 15 students, but would provide an additional option to students and families who live in the surrounding community. The new school would serve students from every borough in the city, giving priority to those students who live in Brooklyn.

■ There would be sufficient instructional space in John Jay Campus for Millennium Brooklyn to grow to scale. As in other situations where schools are co-located, the schools would need to share large common and specialty rooms in the buiding, such as the cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditorium, and library.

Specific decisions regarding the allocation of the shared spaces would be made by the Building Council, consisting of principals from all co-located schools, in conjunction with the DOE Office of Space Planning.

About Us Academics Choices & Enrollment Schools in the Community Portfolio Planning Portfolio Management Brooklyn Bronx Manhattan Staten Island Queens Grade Reconfiguration Charter Schools In the Community Facilities Get Involved with NYC Schools Innovations Service in Schools New Schools Campus Governance Offices & Programs Rules & Policies Student Support, Safety & Activities Performance & Accountability	Brooklyn The Proposed Co-Location of a New High School Millennium Brooklyn High School with the Secondary School for Law, the Secondary School for Journalism, and the Secondary School for Research in School Building K460 John Jay Campus (K460) currently houses three schools: the Secondary School for Research (15K464), the Secondary School for Journalism (15K463), and the Secondary School for Law (15K462). In 2009-2010, John Jay Campus had a target capacity to serve 2,104 students, and the building enrolled 1,477 students, yielding a building utilization of 70% of target capacity. This means that the building was “underutilized” and had extra space to accommodate additional students. The New York City Department of Education (“DOE”) has proposed to site a new selective high school, Millennium Brooklyn (15K684), in John Jay Campus, located at 237 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215, in Community School District 15. If this proposal is approved, the school would be co-located with the three existing 6-12 schools in John Jay Campus. A “co-location” means that two or more school organizations are located in the same building and may share common spaces like auditoriums, gymnasiums, and cafeterias. As stated in two separate Educational Impact Statements (“EIS”) published on December 3, 2010, the DOE has proposed “grade truncations” for the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism, which means those schools would gradually phase out grades 6-8 and eventually serve only grades 9-12. Co-locating Millennium Brooklyn is not contingent on truncating the middle school grades at the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism. There is currently sufficient space in John Jay Campus for all four schools to operate at scale. With the addition of a new high school there would be approximately 1,725-1,825 students served in the building at full scale. On December 3, 2010, the DOE published an EIS describing a “co-location” of Millennium Brooklyn in the John Jay. We continue to seek feedback on this proposal. Educational Impact Statement Read the full description of the proposal here. Sharing Your Concerns and Questions The DOE is seeking your feedback. In addition, parents, staff, and other community members may submit questions and comments at any time: Benjamin Taylor (212) 374-0208 HS.Proposals@schools.nyc.gov . We look forward to working with you! Joint Public Hearing Date: January 11, 2011 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: John Jay Campus, 237 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215 Archive: Read a complete transcript of this hearing. Panel for Educational Policy Vote on the Proposal Date: January 19, 2011 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Brooklyn Technical High School, 29 Fort Greene Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217 For more information, see the PEP website . Background The DOE strives to ensure that all students in New York City have access to a high-quality school at every stage of their education. Continuing to allocate space and resources to schools that do not attract students is neither efficient nor equitable. It is critical to assess each school’s capacity to serve the needs of its students when making decisions regarding space and facilities. The proposed co-location of Millennium Brooklyn high school in John Jay Campus is part of the DOE’s central goal to create high-quality educational options for all students. In an effort to expand the pool of options for academically gifted students and to reach high-achieving students in underserved communities, the DOE has opened six new selective schools since 2002. Selective schools provide more of the city’s top-performing students with a rigorous high school experience where they are surrounded by other high-performing peers, challenged to think critically, and free to explore new academic interests and extracurricular activities. If approved, Millennium Brooklyn would be the seventh selective school to open under this initiative. Middle schools typically have extremely varied and rich instructional offerings, especially in the sciences and languages, as well as extra-curricular activities. As enrollment continues to dwindle at the Secondary School for Journalism, the school will lose the resources necessary to sustain a high-functioning learning environment. It would become extremely challenging to align teacher and student schedules, effectively program students, offer a wide variety of classes and enrichment activities, and focus on building strong school culture. As a result, the learning outcomes for students in the building would be severely compromised. Admission to Millennium Brooklyn would be open to any student in the city who meets the school’s selection criteria through the citywide high school application process. Priority would be given to students who reside in Brooklyn, however, students in all five boroughs would be eligible to apply. Millennium Brooklyn would gradually phase-in by adding one grade per academic year beginning with a ninth grade cohort of approximately 108 students in September 2011. The school is expected to reach full scale in 2014-2015 and would serve approximately 425-450 students in grades nine through twelve. Millennium Brooklyn would also offer an ASD NEST program, a specialized program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that is not widely available in other New York City schools. Students with ASD are taught in a classroom alongside general education students. Currently, there are no high schools in Brooklyn that offer comparable programs for students with ASD. While there is not an immediate need to create additional high school seats in Brooklyn, the community has made the DOE aware of the need to provide more high-quality high school options. Allocating underutilized space to open a new selective high school in Brooklyn would expand the range of options available to students and families, and, in the long-run, would increase the number of students retained in the borough. Over the last few years the number of students enrolled in Brooklyn high schools has steadily declined, suggesting that students and families are seeking options outside of the borough that are better matched to their interests and needs. All students deserve access to an outstanding education regardless of their zip code. The DOE is committed to investing in schools that optimize student performance and ensure that every student graduates from high school equipped with the skills necessary to achieve success in college, careers, and in life. Key Facts ■ John Jay Campus has the capacity to serve 2,104 students. In 2009-2010—the most recent year for which audited enrollment data is available—the building only served 1,477 students, yielding a utilization rate of just 70% of target capacity. This means that the building is “underutilized” and has extra space to accommodate additional students. ■ If the proposals to co-locate Millennium Brooklyn and truncate the middle school grades at the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism are approved, over the next three years, the proposed grade spans for the schools in John Jay Campus would be as follows: During the 2011-2012 school year, the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism would serve students in grades 7-12. In 2012-2013, each school would serve students in grades 8-12, and finally, in 2013-2014, each school would serve students in grades 9-12 only. Millennium Brooklyn would open in John Jay Campus in 2010-2011 and would serve students in grade nine with an enrollment of approximately 108 students. Each year, it would add another grade. In 2014-2015, it would serve grades 9-12 with approximately 425-450 students when it achieves “full scale” and completes its phase-in. The Secondary School for Research would continue to serve students in grades 6-12. ■ The John Jay Campus building has adequate capacity to accommodate the new school at full scale as well as the existing schools in the building. Once the new school has completed its phase-in and the Secondary School for Law and the Secondary School for Journalism truncate their middle school grades, there would be approximately 1,725-1,825 students served in the building. ■ The John Jay Campus building also houses an alternative learning center and a community based organization. The DOE does not anticipate that any of these programs would be adversely impacted by this proposal as there would still be sufficient space in the building to accommodate both programs. ■ Opening Millennium Brooklyn in the John Jay Campus building would create approximately 425-450 additional high school seats in Brooklyn. ■ Millenium Brooklyn would offer an ASD NEST program, a specialized program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that is not widely available in other New York City schools Because there are currently no high schools in Brooklyn that offer comparable programs for students with ASD, Millennium Brooklyn would provide a unique, continuous educational experience and supportive environment for students with ASD, while also providing an additional high school option for general education students. ■ By 2015, Millennium Brooklyn would have completed its phase-in, and the projected utilization for John Jay Campus at that point would range between 82-87%. This means that the building has adequate capacity to accommodate the full expansion of the new school. The building is not projected to be fully utilized even with the addition of the new school. ■ As in the past, students would be eligible to apply to any high school program of their choice through the citywide high school application process. Entry to the new school would not be limited to District 15 students, but would provide an additional option to students and families who live in the surrounding community. The new school would serve students from every borough in the city, giving priority to those students who live in Brooklyn. ■ There would be sufficient instructional space in John Jay Campus for Millennium Brooklyn to grow to scale. As in other situations where schools are co-located, the schools would need to share large common and specialty rooms in the buiding, such as the cafeterias, gymnasiums, auditorium, and library. Specific decisions regarding the allocation of the shared spaces would be made by the Building Council, consisting of principals from all co-located schools, in conjunction with the DOE Office of Space Planning.