Last year was a stellar year for our learning support organization and member schools--
• Despite a more rigorous Quality Review process, 94% of our schools either maintained or improved their Quality Review score.
• On the challenging New York State ELA assessments, the percentage of students performing at Level 1 decreased among our elementary schools by 2.1% and among our middle schools by 2.5%.
• Equally impressive was the increase in the percentage of students scoring at Levels 3 and 4; our elementary schools achieved an increase of 5.4% and our middle schools garnered an increase of 5.2% in the percentage of students achieving a Level 3 or Level 4.

Particularly noteworthy is that given the number of schools in our organization, these percentages literally represent thousands of students who have risen to new heights of achievement and success as a result of our collaborative work.

The 363 member schools of ICI Leadership Support Organizations (LSO) span all five boroughs and all levels of school K-12. Schools belong to a network of 15–20 schools matched by common instructional methodologies, grade configurations, and targeted student and/or school needs. Schools have self-selected their network to the extent that capacity allowed; or, in consultation with ICI, were matched to an appropriate network. Each network is supported by an executive office for instruction and network support specialists.

Student achievement in the area of mathematics was equally impressive in ICI schools:

• In the elementary grades, the number of students performing at Level 1 decreased by 1.5% while the percentage scoring at Levels 3 or 4 increased by 4.7%
• Our middle schools achieved a 2.5% decline in the number of students performing at Level 1 in mathematics and an increase of 5.2% in the percentage of students either scoring at Level 3 or Level 4. These results are a source of great pride and accomplishment validating the good work currently underway in our middle schools.

At the high school level, ICI supported the expansion of Advanced Placement programs thereby increasing the number of students who now have the experience of enrolling in college-level courses while still in high school.

Additionally, student achievement rose on the New York State Regents examinations with the percentage of students passing US History and Government, English Language Arts and Chemistry increasing by 8.2%, 3.%% and 2.7% respectively.

This past year we collaborated with experts in their own fields and the list is impressive including such giants as Mel Levine, Nancy Love, Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Al Bertani and Rob Bocchino, Ellin Keene, David Pearson, Lily Wong Fillmore, Margarita Calderon, and Dr. Yvette Jackson--many of whom will return this year to deepen our investigations into teaching and learning, helping us to explore avenues to success for all our students.

• Tuition reduction for ICI school members enrolling in the Educational Leadership program at LIU/Brooklyn Campus
• 200 4th and 5th grade classrooms will have the opportunity to participate in an online program--First in Math--that has a proven track record of boosting math    scores, engaging students and assisting classroom teachers and students in exceeding achievement goals.
• HS Assistant Principal Content Area Monthly Support Meetings
• New Principals' Support Networking
• Sustainable Leadership Program to Support ICI staff in preparing for Principal Leadership Positions
• Train the Trainer model for Academic Intervention Small-group Support for Upper Elementary Students
• Extensive opportunities for principals to participate in study groups with their colleagues to explore areas of common interest and concern more deeply
• Focused study of middle school practices through ICI’s new Middle School Initiative

This year holds the promise of surpassing the last in terms of achievement and success and we look forward to collaborating with each and every one of you.