Name: Public Housing and Public Schools: How Do Students Living in NYC Public Housing Fare in School?
Organizer/Location: NYU's Furman Center & IESP, Furman Hall
Amount of Hours: 1.5
The NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy joined forces with NYU’s Institute for Education and Social Policy to create a Housing and Land Use Policy Breakfast Series. Their first hour and a half long conversation was held at the Furman Center and was entitled “Public Housing and Public Schools: How Do Students Living in NYC Public Housing Fare in School?” and, after being provided with some basic statistics and information, panelists were able to share their expertise and information before taking questions from the audience.
I learned that in the United States, there are 1.2 million units of public housing and that within New York City alone, 180,000 of those can be found. Public housing is a resource used for low-income families but it was hypothesized that the education of students living in public housing was being effected. Research was conducted in which they investigated (a) whether characteristics of schools that children living in public housing attend differ by looking at student demographics, teacher characteristics, resources, and the percentage of students performing at grade level compared to other schools, (b) whether students in public housing perform at the same level as other students with similar demographics, and (c) whether the performance of NYCHA (NYC Housing Authority) students varies depending on the neighborhood poverty rate.
As was hypothesized, NYCHA students were in schools with non-white, poor peers with lower results on standardized tests. The schools where NYCHA students go had about an 85% free-lunch rate in comparison to 72% at other schools. Researchers also implemented controls such as race, sex, and nativity status and still found there to be a gap in fifth grade reading and math test scores and it was also noted that neighborhood context does matter. However, it was very interesting to note that at NYCHA schools there is a better teacher-student ratio. While this would typically make one think the education students are receiving would be better, the teachers who are working with them are those with less education and less experience.
A community center program was implemented but done so in a poor fashion. The federal government provided money to build the center but did not support their own efforts by providing funds for staffing. NYCHA and the Board of Education stepped in to help because they felt it was important to work to bring families together. However, almost all of the programs at the community centers take on a recreational, rather than educational, focus.
Among the panelists was Dennis Walcott, New York City Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development. Something he said that struck me, and that especially pertains to what we discuss in class, is the importance of being careful not to stereotype or generalize who a NYCHA student may be. He said it is important to look at cohorts and determine wrap-around systems to put in place in order to make sure people are receiving the appropriate supports and services. Deputy Walcott also spoke of the mapping system his office is trying to create in order to increase the utilization of Community Based Organizations, or at least determine where they are being utilized. He followed this comment with the possibility of building charter schools on NYCHA grounds.
Though I had not had much exposure to much of this information before or ever even really thought much about public housing, I think my attendance at this breakfast was certainly necessary. As someone who hopes to pursue her teaching career in underprivileged areas, it is likely that I will be teaching students who come from public housing similar to NYCHA’s, if not NYCHA itself. It is imperative that I understand what these students are coming to me with and what extra efforts have to be made in order to help them succeed. I am interested in learning more about this and hopefully seeing how the panelists’ efforts unfold in coming years. I hope we can continue to work to close the achievement gap so obviously observed through the research presented. However, I also hope that we can also work to better educate common people, city dwellers, about this population so we can rid them of stereotypes and overgeneralizations that they may unnecessarily face in their day to day lives.
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4 comments:
Hey Angelica,
I read you post and thought it was really interesting. One thing that really struck me as very important was that the children living in low income housing are being taught in schools with a higher teacher to student ratio yet the teachers who are working in the schools are have less credentials than teachers in other NYC public schools. I think this is really unfair especially after four years at NYU. We have always been taught and told day after day in class and in course reading that every child deserves a great education and should be taught by a well educated teacher. It's very disappointing how this is not taking place for certain students. One thing that would be helpful in the meantime while this situation is hopefully being resolved, would be to try to maintain strong relationships between home and school at these schools. I have noticed at my current placement this semester how important this really is; because my CT and I try to keep a supportive communication system between us and parents the kids have really been benefitting. Keep up the good work.
-Annmarie
I think that the subject of student from NYC Housing is something that should be addressed more here at NYU. I don't think its fair that the students and schools of these areas continue to get short-changed thus delaying and even furthering their achievement gap. A lot of times teachers think of the ideal situation and don't want to acknowledge the actual situation. Yes it is important that we not jump to stereotypes what we do have to admit the reality our students are living on a daily basis.
NYC has 'tried' to bring forth better results to no avail. I think here is the perfect opportunity for teachers like us to stand up and try instituting our own after-school programs to help these children in the areas where they need the extra support but also allow them the time to do recreational activities and just enjoy being a child. Your entry really intrigued me.
This sounded like a really interesting event. I know that housing projects are a reality but I've never really thought about them in terms of the education that students who live there receive. I do find it interesting though that the teacher/student ratio being what it is has not positively effected the education that students living in housing receive. Even though there have been ideas to help the situation, clearly nothing is working. I think we really need to think about what can be done to give the students the education they deserve.
I am saddened by the fact that some students do not have the opportunity to attend schools that have the money and the resources to enhance their education but what saddens me more is the lack of qualified teachers in schools that evidently are in need. students who attend schools that are failing them are stuck in a vicious cycle in which intrinsic motivation is pushed aside for discouraged acceptance of what ones reality is.
I think the efforts into closing the achievement gap between the economically diverse is important in providing a socially just education for all. i think everyone deserves a great education and access to great teachers.
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