The Engineering & Science University Magnet School is a 6-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) themed inter-district magnet school. Temporarily located on the outskirts of New Haven, CT, the school will move into its permanent space, which is being constructed on the campus of the University of New Haven (UNH), in 2017. The school is designed in partnership with the UNH Engineering program.
ESUMS students have the opportunity to co-enroll in UNH courses as early as the 10
th
grade dependent on academic performance. Additionally, UNH offers a number of scholarships for ESUMS graduates. ESUMS is considered an urban school, drawing 60% of enrollees from New Haven, while the remaining 40% come from the surrounding suburban towns. The ESUMS student body is ethnically diverse
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8% of students identify as Asian, 44% identify as Black or African American, 18% identify as Hispanic, and 31% identify as White. ESUMS is a newer school. 2015-2016 marked the school’s second graduating class of 55 students. Class cohorts are generally small, averaging approximately 80-100 students per grade.
Although ESUMS is considered a successful school, a significant achievement gap exists within the school itself. While a substantial portion of graduates are attending competitive schools and universities including Yale University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Wentworth College, UNH, and Howard, another portion is lagging behind. A third of the current 12
th
grade cohort scored under 400 on the critical reading portion of the SAT, placing them into a remedial/transitional English course for the senior year.
The unit that follows is designed to address this gap by providing students of varying abilities with access to a complex text while building their composition skills. The unit will be taught in an Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Course that is open to any student who chooses to enroll. ESUMS uses an AP open policy, which means that any student who would like to enroll in an AP course may do so even if they are not designated as AP potential. The College Board predicts that 60% of AP potential students will pass the AP exam each year. PSAT and SAT scores determine AP potential status.