EDUCATION
6 schools added, 8 are off list needing improvement
Six individual schools in Buffalo, Cheektowaga-Sloan, North Collins and Niagara Wheatfield were added Tuesday to the state’s list of schools in need of improvement, while Niagara Falls was designated as a district in need of improvement.
At the same time, eight schools in Buffalo, Lake Shore and Sweet Home were removed from the list because of enhanced student achievement.
Niagara Falls was listed because only 52 percent of its special education students graduated from high school in four years with either a Regents or local diploma, while the state set a goal of 55 percent, said Marcia Capone, the school system’s administrator for assessment.
Capone said the rules governing the improvement list are complex and often convoluted, but that the system encourages accountability.
Statewide, 62 schools and four districts were added to the list. Eightyfive schools and 11 districts were removed.
In Cheektowaga-Sloan, John F. Kennedy Junior/Senior High School was listed only because its English scores were reported late, even though it easily met state standards, state officials said. School officials said they will be careful to meet reporting deadlines in the future.
The three Buffalo schools that were added to the list — Harvey Austin School, Montessori at 78 and Academy School 31 — are being closed, reconfigured or merged next school year in line with federal policy, said Superintendent James A. Williams.
“If they’re not performing, close them down or change the structure,” he said.
Based on improved student performance, these Buffalo schools were removed from the list: Community School 53, East High School, Lorraine Elementary School, McKinley High School and School 61. But 35 of 61 city schools remain on the state list.
“As I tell our staff, we celebrate for a half-hour, then we get back to work,” Williams said. “Our progress is not good enough.”
Colonial Village Elementary School in the Niagara Wheatfield School District was cited for fourth-grade English scores, said Superintendent Carl Militello. He said efforts will be made to improve teaching techniques and intervention efforts.
North Collins Junior/Senior High School also was cited for English language arts scores, but school officials could not immediately be reached to comment.
Buffalo’s Enterprise Charter School, Lake Shore Senior High School and Sweet Home Middle School were removed from the watch list and are now “in good standing” under state guidelines and the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The improvement at Enterprise was due largely to outstanding staff and programs designed to help students struggling in language arts, said Jill Norton, the school’s chief executive officer.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments