Press Release

INSTITUTE FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NEW PARTNER SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY FOR 2006-07 SCHOOL YEAR

ISA to Ring NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell on March 20, 2006 to Celebrate Launch

LAKE SUCCESS, NY, March 20, 2006 – The Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) today announced the opening of three new ISA partner schools as part of the New York City Department of Education’s launch of 36 new small secondary schools for the 2006-07 school year. ISA President and CEO, Dr. Gerry House, will celebrate this significant initiative at the NASDAQ Market Close ceremony this afternoon in New York City.

ISA, a leading school redesign partner that facilitates the transformation of large comprehensive high schools into high-performing small learning communities and the start-up of small schools that prepare students for success in college, is working in partnership with the Department of Education to develop and launch the new schools, which will be located in existing school buildings. Once open, these high-quality small schools will increase the availability of personalized and rigorous educational options for traditionally underserved students.

The official new schools announcement was previously made by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein on February 1, 2006, at JHS 50 in Brooklyn – the future location of a new ISA new partner school, the Academy for Young Writers.

Using ISA’s Seven Principles as the foundation for their schools, the new high schools will include:

• Academy for Young Writers: based on the concept that writing is central to all disciplines, this Brooklyn-based school will enable students to discover and develop their talents by integrating writing across the curriculum. The academy will weave writing into students’ study of the visual and dramatic fine arts, with a specific focus on creative writing and self-expression. Focused extracurricular activities, such as an urban poetry workshop and a literary journal will also be offered.

• Brooklyn Community High School of Communications, Arts and Media (BCAM): with the goal of preparing students for a successful future career in communications, arts or the media, BCAM will provide students with a solid academic foundation that is anchored in inquiry-based learning and hands-on experience, as well as the opportunity to explore a professional specialization of choice, such as filmmaking, journalism or theater. BCAM will also foster strong community ties – both internally and externally – that support student and staff development and collaboration.

• Holocombe L. Rucker School of Community Research: this Bronx school will enable students to become the leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow by providing relevant internship and externship experiences in the surrounding community that help to bring its college-preparatory academic program to life. Students will be challenged intellectually, socially and personally through inquiry-based learning that incorporates research across the curriculum, as well as an emphasis on reading, writing and oral presentation skills.

ISA has selected three school principals to lead the new schools and implement the ISA Model and is currently engaged with the principals in an intensive planning phase to prepare for the schools’ launch in September 2006.

“ISA is committed to helping New York City high school students graduate prepared for success in college and beyond – and we have the experience needed to reach this goal,” said Dr. Gerry House, ISA’s President and CEO. “ISA’s talented leadership team will work hand-in-hand with the Department of Education and the new partner schools to establish personalized and academically rigorous learning environments that promote higher levels of student achievement and prevent struggling students from falling through the cracks.”

The new ISA partner schools are funded in part by a $6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which ISA received in September 2003, to create 10 new small schools in New York City in five years. Six schools are already in operation.

Approximately 8,000 public school students participate in 31 small schools and small learning communities in 11 ISA partner school districts, located in New York, Georgia, New Jersey and Virginia. ISA recently partnered with Union City Board of Education in New Jersey to create eight new small learning communities, slated to open for the 2006-07 school year, and has partnered with Atlanta Public Schools to design and open four small schools at the Carver Educational Complex, which opened in August 2005. Additionally, ISA was recently awarded a second grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, totaling $7,886,381, which supports the creation of six new small high schools in New York City and a plan for the transformation of two large traditional City high schools into small learning communities, as well as the creation of four additional small high schools outside of New York City.

About the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA)

Focusing on improving academic achievement, the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) is a leading school redesign partner that facilitates the transformation of large comprehensive high schools into small learning communities and small schools designed to prepare all students for success in college. Founded in 1990, ISA partners with school administrators and teachers to create and sustain intellectually rigorous and caring, personalized learning environments. A set of Seven Principles defines and guides the ISA model. Building upon these Seven Principles, the Institute for Student Achievement collaborates with schools to create comprehensive plans and implementation strategies for school redesign that are customized to meet the unique needs of schools and districts. For more information contact us at (516) 812-6700 or visit www.studentachievement.org.

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