Opening up the Academic Gates in Mamaroneck:
Some Success, Continued Questions

by Joan R. Simon

(October 14, 2004) “Gatekeeping” is a hot button issue in the Mamaroneck school community and it was the subject of discussions at the school board’s October 5 study session, led by Annie Zimmer, the district's new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction (See: Annie Zimmer takes the Helm ...) The past few years have seen a substantial opening up of some of the “gates” confronting students seeking entry into advanced courses at the middle school and high school, but the question facing the district now is how to continue making high level courses available to more students while maintaining high academic standards.

Gatekeeping is anything but a new issue for the school district. The 2002-03 Task Force on Gatekeeping was one of three task forces established by the Board of Education in the spring of 2002 (See: School Transformation Outside and In). Their scope was broad, ranging from elementary school to high school, and their initial findings recognized that “the ability of students to be successful in higher-level secondary courses can often be traced back to subtle gatekeeping that begins in the elementary school.” But the focus of most parents in the district, and of the recent study session, was on the restricted honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses at the high schools.

High School Openings

While there have been no specific policy changes at the high school, the gate openings have nevertheless been notable. The number of students taking AP classes in grades 11 and 12 rose 35% in 2001-02, with 320 students taking 720 exams, of which 84% received a grade of 3 or better. (A score of 3 is considered “qualified to receive college credit” although individual colleges set their own standards.) This year’s enrollment is even higher, with 354 students taking 798 classes, which means that 52% of the junior and senior class is enrolled in at least one AP class.

What accounts for the rise in numbers? Assistant Principal Gail Kleiner stressed that while there have been no formal policy changes, there are new AP courses being offered, including Macro-Economics, Statistics and the return of AP Environmental Science. “We have a wider range of courses that reaches more kids,” she said. Principal Mark Orfinger added, “If we find that more students apply for an AP course and meet the criteria, we are perfectly happy to accommodate them and increase the number of sections offered.”

What about the criteria for getting into AP classes? Dr. Orfinger explained, “A lot of departments are flexible and taking more kids. I would say in general they try to bend over backward to say to a kid, ‘try it.’” Superintendent Sherry King agreed, “The school has had a much more user-friendly appeal process. Students have felt much more willing to try, if they were interested in pursuing an advanced course, and departments have been willing to look at students in a variety of ways.”

AP American History, given in grade 11 as an alternative to the Regents U.S. History course, is a good example of both the growing accessibility of AP courses and the remaining restrictions. In the past only two sections of AP American History were offered; today there are five sections, representing 36% of the junior class. (Editors' Note: correction made on basis of letter to the editor of December 1, 2004) Nevertheless, complaints are still heard that students who want to take the course are not being allowed in.

Part of the push to open the gates at the high school level is fueled by the demand of many colleges that students take the “highest level” of courses available. As school board president Celia Felsher noted, “Many of the schools our kids are interested in going to -- and not just the Ivy Leagues -- say that they are looking for students to take the most challenging courses offered at their schools and they want to see how they’ve performed in those courses.” There is never any discussion from colleges as to whether those “challenging” courses are open to all students.

Middle School Success

The gatekeeping story has had its most dramatic chapter at the Hommocks Middle School, when the “gate” to the Earth Science Regents course was taken down in 2001-01 and virtually all eighth graders were permitted to take the course.

How this scenario evolved is instructive. According to Assistant Principal Larry Keane, New York State first offered the high school Earth Science Regents course to eighth graders some 15 years ago. Only 19 students were chosen the first year to take the course. The numbers grew to 25% in the early years, rising gradually to a high of. 66% in 2000-01. The following year the decision was made to open the gate completely, with extra support offered for students who needed it, and the results were gratifying: the average grade declined only 6 points, from 91 to 85, and overall 96% of the students passed the test.

The second gate in middle school that has been breached is in the math curriculum, where the ninth grade Regents Math A course is offered to students in the eighth grade who have taken accelerated math courses the previous two years. This year, 80 to 85% of students in grade 6 and 7 are taking the enriched math class – up from 55% before the gate was opened last year -- and a similar percentage of eighth graders are in Math A.

In addition to offering higher-level math preparation to more students, Mr. Keane noted that “at no point is the gate completely shut in seventh grade.” For example, the Hommocks offers a combination Math A class in grade 8 comprised of students who took the regular math in grade 7 and performed very well, along with students who took accelerated math in grade 7 but require additional support.

And for students not taking Math A in eighth grade, there is a summer program available at the high school that allows motivated students to get onto the accelerated track in the ninth grade. Students who take Regents Math A at the Hommocks and continue with the math sequence in high school are eligible to take either AB or BC Calculus, two AP math offerings, in their senior year.

Where Next?

According to Dr. King, “The question is what comes next that will maintain the momentum while keeping high standards. The movement is there and the community feels very supportive of it, and teachers feel confident about it.” She added, “What I hear is more people saying we want more opportunities for students in the community, as long as we maintain rigorous and challenging instruction.” She added that the timing on any changes would be geared to “when students have to enroll in courses for the next year.”

"The complex issues surrounding gatekeeping are not unique to Larchmont and Mamaroneck," said Ms. Zimmer. "But what does seem unique is the way the district confronts the issues directly and openly with a commitment to hear and consider all viewpoints. I admire this institutional courage."