April 13

LACS is a key member of a small network of 28 schools in New York that share similar views and philosophies about effective education. The network is known as the New York Performance Standards Consortium, and Consortium schools have been working on further developing a series of performance-based alternative assessments that we believe exceed the expectations and standards of the State’s more conventional and often flawed tests.  At LACS, we have developed a Graduation by Exhibition portfolio for grades 9-12, including specified learning outcomes with related performance assessments, that students produce and present.  Oversight of this performance assessment system is carried out by an external advisory board for the Consortium — the Performance Assessment Review (PAR) Board — that reviews both student work and the process by which it is evaluated, holding schools and students accountable. In April, representatives from the PAR Board will be coming to spend time at LACS to review our performance assessment assignments and scoring rubrics, as well as to meet and interview staff and students about the school.  We are hoping to schedule a Dessert and Discussion Evening on the evening of April 13 during the Performance Assessment Review Board’s visit to give parents and caretakers an opportunity to interact with the Board.