Monday, February 08, 2010

Block Schedule & NECAP Scores in Providence

Here's a list of Providence high schools, from high to low aggregate scores on the 2009 NECAP. Schools that had block scheduling in the 2008 - 2009 school year (the test is given in October) are in bold italic:

  1. Classical
  2. Feinstein
  3. E-Cubed
  4. Hope Arts
  5. PAIS
  6. Central
  7. Hope IT
  8. Mt. Pleasant
  9. Alvarez
  10. Cooley

Of course, one of the first things the Brady administration did in high schools is get rid of block scheduling, in most of the small schools this year and Hope next year. It is a little unclear what the real motivation is. It will save money. Apparently they also think that if everyone has the same schedule it will be easier to take things like AP classes in other buildings.

Regardless, it flies in the face of what was working in Providence. You don't need any fancy statistical analysis to see the pattern.

Note - I omitted Hope Leadership because they don't belong in the "testing year" data, which is what I used. They didn't exist in the "testing year."

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