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What does PMP do?
PMP aims to narrow the achievement gap within inner-city communities by targeting under-achieving 4th graders and pairing them with high-achieving 9th graders under the supervision of college interns in a seven-week academic intensive summer program. The concept came to fruition because three of PMP’s founders were raised in low-income communities, attended inner-city public schools and appreciate the importance of the mentorship they received. PMP provides 4th graders with a remedial summer to help rebuild their confidence and appreciation for learning as they build relationships with high-achieving 9th graders that serve as role models and mentors. In addition to a $400 stipend for their dedication over the summer, 9th graders go through a curriculum that increases their awareness of college, teaches them how to set goals, and exposes them to the benefits of performing well on the SAT. Finally, our college interns are immersed to serve as mentors to the 9th graders, teachers to the 4th graders, and supervisors of the program. PMP is sustainable because in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas there is an a) abundance of academically struggling 4th graders who need guidance b) high achieving 9th graders who could use a summer job, and c) college students who are looking for internships to develop themselves professionally.
What problem is PMP solving?
According to Joel Klein, former Chancellor of the Department of Education of NY, “We are never going to fix poverty in America until we fix education.” The achievement gap is most prevalent in minority and low-income households. Minority children attending schools in low-income communities are known for having lower graduation rates and are less likely to attend college. If immigration persists at its current levels, the US Census estimates that by 2023 that minority children will comprise more than 50% of the school-aged population. In 2009, McKinsey and Company analyzed the achievement disparity and concluded that the inequity in education costs the US between $310 billion and $525 billion each year, which is the economic equivalent of a permanent national recession.
How big can PMP be?
We believe that Practice Makes Perfect (PMP) has tremendous potential to have a strong impact on student achievement across grade levels. With the appropriate professional and financial support, we also believe the concept has the capacity to scale into a meaningful, cost-effective educational intervention in hundreds and perhaps thousands of inner-city classrooms. PMP can be among the nation’s top emerging programs to assist in decreasing, if not closing, the achievement gap. PMP is committed to continuously provide a higher level of value to students, and the communities in which it operates to maintain the organization’s rightful place as a twenty-first century change agent. This organization is set to become a unique way to reform, re-brand, and re-organize the way we educate. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development claims the US ranks 17th in high school graduation, 15th in reading and 19th in math in the ranking of 31 countries. PMP can serve as the impetus in keeping America among the world front runners in education.
What makes PMP unique?
PMP has three key distinct factors that make it different from other similar programs that are out there. Firstly, PMP is the only organization in NYC that pairs high-achieving 9th graders with low-performing 4th graders for strictly academic purposes. Many mentorship and tutoring programs exist; however, none specifically pair these two age groups together to actively partake in academic tutoring. Secondly, the majority of the teaching is performed by 9th graders and college interns, providing them with an unparalleled summer experience. Lastly, PMP has a threefold-impact that will be felt for many years: teenagers in the respective communities will be employed, interns will gain experience that is relevant to their academic study, and an establishment of three levels of mentorship (college students to high school students, and high school students to elementary school students) becomes sustainable.
How did PMP do during the Summer of 2011?
In the summer of 2011, PMP ran a pilot program in Queens with Long Island City public schools, which paired 32 under-achieving 4th-graders with 16 high-achieving 9th-graders under the supervision of 5 college interns. Through rigorous math, reading, and writing practice, students raised their reading levels by 4% and math levels by 6% on mock NYS assessment exams. More importantly, gains were made despite a three and a half month summer learning loss (roughly 25-30% of gains made throughout the school year) that normally plagues students in low-income households. Since last summer, PMP has received recognition in the Queens Courier, Cornell Chronicle, Pearson Foundation website, and in student newsletters across Cornell. To read more go to: http://pmpnyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PMP2011_Pilot_Results.pdf
If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach us at practicemakesperfectnyc@gmail.com
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