We are writing to object to the recent policy changes outlined in a letter dated December 8, 2016 from Superintendent Dr. Phillip Composto that was sent to parents of PS 122 elementary school G&T students on December 9th. These policy changes seek to destroy the holistic K – 8 nature of PS 122’s G&T program and replace it with separate elementary and middle school G&T programs effective with the incoming 6th grade class in 2021. Current Kindergarten and 1st grade G&T students who enrolled at PS 122 on the basis of the policy of auto-articulation into the PS 122 middle school have been unjustly and arbitrarily disenfranchised. These parents have signed acceptance letters issued by the DOE recognizing it as a K-8 program. The DOE recognized the unique K – 8 nature of PS 122’s G&T program in 2013 via a memo issued by the Office of Student Enrollment and Office of Portfolio Management after a multi-month engagement effort with the District 30 community. The recent policy changes communicated by Dr. Composto were implemented without adequate input from the P.S 122 community and were initiated by the efforts of CEC 30 who have conflicting interests. 

P.S. 122 is one of only a handful of NYC G&T schools which serves K-8 students. In fact, it is the only district G&T program that serves K-8 students, while the remaining programs are citywide G&T programs. P.S. 122 Elementary and Middle School students share the same facilities, administration and staff. The auto-articulation pattern whereby the Elementary G&T students at P.S 122 continue through their G&T Middle School is very well established. In May 2013, the DOE issued a memo stating, “P.S. 122 is a K-8 school that currently serves general education, special education, and G&T classes in the elementary grades and only G&T students in the middle school grades. There are currently no proposed changes to the admissions structure at P.S. 122 for students attending P.S. 122.” On October 28, 2016, in a letter from Sara McPhee of the Office of Student Enrollment at NYC Department of Education, she confirms this pattern of auto-articulation at P.S. 122 stating, “I recently had a conversation with Superintendent Composto where I indicated to him that we are not changing anything contained in the agreement and we expect the students in the G&T program at 122 to continue on for middle school as it is a K-8 school.”

P.S. 122 is widely recognized as an outstanding K-8 G&T school. When parents are asked to rank and apply for G&T programs on behalf of their children, many District 30 parents have chosen P.S. 122 over citywide programs due to its auto-articulation policy. Removing priority articulation for elementary G&T students at P.S. 122 into their own middle school is inconsistent with the citywide K-8 G&T programs in New York City. This sudden change of policy affecting only one of the K-8 G&T schools in NYC is unjust and inequitable. Further, the K-8 program at P.S. 122 continues to have a tremendously positive impact on the community’s desirability for new families.

We request that the DOE and Dr. Composto retract the policy changes outlined in the December 8, 2016 letter and honor the long-standing articulation pattern at P.S. 122 that has been supported by the School Chancellor in 2013 and confirmed by the Office of Student Enrollment in October, 2016. 

Thank you in advance for your consideration in this important matter.