A positive school climate promotes school safety, student self-esteem, emotional well-being, mental health, and lower incidences of substance abuse, student absenteeism, and suspensions. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) continues to promote initiatives to foster student engagement and thereby increase student achievement, safety, and wellness.
Our Social Emotional Learning materials support the state's ESSA plan priorities and promote a positive school climate. The resources outline benchmarks and frameworks for educators to implement Social Emotional Learning practices in their schools and classrooms.
Mental health education can assist young people and their families and result in positive decision-making and life-long success.
School Safety indicates the safety of the school’s environment based on reported incidents.
What percentage of students attended school on the days the school was open?
What percentage of students were suspended from school at least one full day during the school year?
What percentage of students were absent 10 percent or more of the days they were enrolled in school?
The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, the main federal law for K-12 public education, requires that states hold public schools accountable for how students achieve. New York State established a set of indicators to measure school and district performance to determine appropriate school and district support. All schools in New York State are identified for a support model based on the accountability measures intended for schools and districts to consider when setting goals for continuous improvement.
| Support Model | Definition |
|---|---|
| Schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement, or CSI | A minimum of 5% of the lowest performing elementary/middle schools in the state receiving Title I, Part A funds plus any non-Title I elementary/middle schools meeting the criteria for identification AND a minimum of 5% of the lowest performing high schools receiving Title I, Part A funds plus any non-Title I high schools meeting the criteria for identification. CSI schools are identified once every three years based on the performance of the All Students accountability group. |
| Schools identified for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement, or ATSI | Schools are identified for ATSI if the TSI subgroup does not exit its TSI status in the number of years outlined in regulation. |
| Schools identified for Targeted Support and Improvement, or TSI | Schools are identified for TSI based on the low performance of accountability subgroups other than the All Students group for two consecutive years. These accountability subgroups are: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Multiracial, White, Economically Disadvantaged, English Language Learner, and Students with Disabilities. In the first year of low performance, the subgroup will be identified Potential TSI. |
| Schools identified for Local Support and Improvement, or LSI | A school that is not identified for CSI, ATSI, or TSI is a school identified for LSI. A school identified for LSI will continue to use the systems and processes established at the local level for continuous improvement efforts. There is no change in regulatory requirements for this group of schools. |
| Support Model | Definition |
|---|---|
| Local Support and Improvement, or LSI | A district that has no schools identified for CSI, ATSI, TSI, or no subgroup at the district level is identified for CSI, ATSI, or TSI, then the district is identified for LSI. A district identified for LSI will continue to use the systems and processes established at the local level for continuous improvement efforts. There is no change in regulatory requirements for LSI districts. |
| Target District | A district that has any school identified for CSI, ATSI, TSI, or if any subgroup at the district level is identified for CSI, ATSI, or TSI, then the district is identified for Target District. |
Read the Accountability Fact Sheet for Parents for more information. Find more information about ESSA Accountability Designations on our website.
For a complete list of Districts (LEAs), their schools, and accountability status, please click here to download the school report card data.
The Support Model identified for this District/School: Local Support and Improvement
| Support Models Identified in This District | |
|---|---|
| Institution Name | Support Model |
| AMHERST CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | Local Support and Improvement |
| AMHERST CSD | Local Support and Improvement |
| AMHERST MIDDLE SCHOOL | Local Support and Improvement |
| SMALLWOOD DRIVE SCHOOL | Local Support and Improvement |
| WINDERMERE BLVD SCHOOL | Local Support and Improvement |
How do students at your child’s school perform on New York State tests?
Students in New York State take standardized tests in English language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, science in grades 4 and 8, and high school Regents exams in English, mathematics, science, and social studies. The tests are designed to measure how well students are mastering the learning standards that guide classroom instruction and help to ensure that students are on track to graduate from high school with the critical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning skills needed for success in college and the modern workplace.
Students are assigned a performance level based on how well they do on the tests, with 4 being the highest level a student can earn.
| New York State Assessments (Tests) Performance Levels | |
|---|---|
| Performance Level | Description |
| Level 4 | Advanced Proficient |
| Level 3 | Proficient |
| Level 2 | Partially Proficient |
| Level 1 | Not Proficient |
Students who achieve a performance level of 3 or 4 are considered to be proficient. The data below indicate the percentage of students that achieved a performance level of 3 or 4 on each test.
Additional information about tests is available on our State Assessment website, including fact sheets about the 3-8 tests for parents and stakeholders.
The graduation rate is the percentage of students who entered grade 9 in the same school year who earned a local or Regents diploma four years later.
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) reports the percentage of students who earned a local or Regents diploma by June, four year after they entered grade 9. NYSED also reports the percentage of students who earned a local or Regents diploma by August of the same year (the August percentage includes all students who earned a diploma by June and August combined).
The New York State Education Department also reports the percentage of students who earned a local or Regents diploma five and six years later.
| 4, 5, and 6-Year Graduation Rates (June and August) | |
|---|---|
| Cohort | Graduation Rate |
| 2019 4-year August Cohort | 91% |
| 2019 4-year June Cohort | 91% |
| 2018 5-year August Cohort | 93% |
| 2018 5-year June Cohort | 93% |
| 2017 6-year August Cohort | 96% |
| 2017 6-year June Cohort | 96% |
For more information about the graduation rate by student subgroup, or to compare graduation rates for your school or district to the state graduation rate, please refer to your school or district’s full report on graduation rate data