New ISA-Partner School Opens its Doors in Cambria Heights

Career and technical education high school prepares students for college and careers in medicine

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights (IHPCH), an Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) partner school, opened its doors yesterday to give Queens and New York City students as well as parents an overview of the school's curricula, programs of study and a tour of the new facility.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130828/DC71123)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120110/DC33419LOGO)

In line with ISA's mission to transform public high schools so that underserved and underperforming students can graduate prepared for success in college, IHPCH was created to enable students to take their learning beyond the classroom by collaboratively solving problems and completing challenging projects based on real-world situations. Using the national Career Technical Education (CTE) model, students enroll in college preparatory classes and earn certification as an Emergency Medical Technician or Nurse Assistant before attending two-year or four-year colleges. CTE programs offer a complete range of career options for students, helping them discover their interests and the educational pathway that can lead to success in high school, college and their chosen career/profession.

"By applying ISA's research-based educational framework for developing public high schools into rigorous and supportive learning environments, The Institute for Health Professions will help students attain an education that's consistent with high expectations in leadership, scholarship and service through building relationships among students, parents, staff, and community partners," says Dr. Gerry House, ISA President.

Students become artists, historians, scientists, mathematicians, literary scholars and health care workers by learning to perform the work of these disciplines. Collaboration and teamwork are essential elements of an education at all ISA schools. Faculty members work collaboratively to ensure that student needs are being met by constantly learning about the most effective types of instruction and support to help students achieve their learning goals. In addition, students and their families are integral members of the IHPCH team, forming important relationships with the faculty and playing an important role in designing students' educational experiences.

"Students learn best when they are engaged in their learning. They must feel safe enough to experiment and make mistakes because true learning comes from the effort we exert to learn from mistakes," says IHPCH Principal Gareth Robinson. "In our classes, students will work with their peers to explore and experiment with topics using the same tools and skills that professionals use so they may achieve at high levels."

Nationally, less than 75 percent of high school students graduate — and graduation rates sink to 50 percent or below for African-American and Hispanic students. In certain high schools, graduation rates are as low as 35 percent. This comes at a cost, not only to students, but also to our society at large. ISA, now a division of Educational Testing Service, is working to help close the achievement gap. At ISA, student outcomes are the gauge for success. In the NYC public school system, 90 percent of ISA seniors plan to attend two-year or four-year colleges, and a majority of seniors report receiving critical support for college enrollment including visiting colleges and attending college fairs.

North Shore-LIJ Health Systems is IHPCH's lead industry partner and Hofstra University is its higher education partner. For more information about the Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights please visit http://www.ihpch.org/.

About the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA)

The Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) partners with schools and districts to transform public high schools so that students who are traditionally underserved and underperforming graduate prepared for success in college. Founded in 1990, ISA is a comprehensive school redesign partner with an implementation model grounded in educational research and practitioner expertise. The ISA approach utilizes a model with three core areas of focus that are supported by seven research-based principles and a strong ISA network. This approach ensures students receive the attention, support, and challenge essential for academic success. A set of Seven Principles defines and guides the ISA Model. Building upon these Seven Principles, ISA 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. After two decades of partnering with high schools, ISA has a successful track record of having impacted over 70,000 students. For more information please visit www.studentachievement.org

About ETS

At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL^® and TOEIC ^® tests, the GRE^® tests and The Praxis Series™ assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. Please visit www.ets.org.

SOURCE Educational Testing Service