Tag: Buffalo schools

Nov 9

2015

Impressions of new superintendent

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Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney told Steve Brown that Kriner Cash made a favorable first impression during their interview last week. “He’s no-nonsense, he’s knowledgeable, he’s taking on the job with a sense of urgency and I think he made it very clear that he’s here to get a job done and he’s not going to put up with a lot of guff,” Heaney told Brown on Sunday’s installment of Outrages & Insights. Brown asked Heaney if Cash can succeed. It depends, Heaney said, on whether recent changes made in state education law are interpreted to grant the superintendent the[...]

Posted 10 years ago

Oct 15

2015

Heaney discusses city schools on ‘Pressroom

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Susan Arbetter of Capitol Pressroom interviews Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney about the state of the Buffalo public school system. Interview aired Thursday on 20 public radio stations across upstate, including WBFO.Heaney will conduct a live interview of Buffalo School Superintendent Kriner Cash at a Nov. 4 luncheon sponsored by Investigative Post. Tickets can be purchased online.

Posted 10 years ago

May 15

2015

Speakers want more autonomy for city schools

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A longer school day. More freedom for schools to make their own decisions. Redefining success through alternative paths to graduation. Those were among the issues panelists discussed at a happy hour event Wednesday sponsored by Investigative Post. Asked what one thing they would change about the city’s schools, all three speakers  mentioned more autonomy for schools in how they hire, budget and use testing standards. Strong centralization might have been necessary in the past to create accountability, said William Kresse, principal of City Honors School. “Now it’s on us: let us do the work,” he said. David Rust, executive director of Say[...]

Posted 10 years ago

Apr 30

2015

Quinn and Rumore: No to mayoral control

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Buffalo School Board Member Larry Quinn and Phil Rumore, president of the Buffalo Teachers’ Federation, discussed their differences of opinion – and some agreements – Wednesday at a luncheon sponsored by Investigative Post. Here’s what they agree on: Mayoral control of Buffalo schools is a bad idea and reducing class sizes should be a priority. And they’d both give a “C-” to the overall quality of city schools. Quinn was particularly critical of the health benefits currently in place for Buffalo teachers, which he said cost the district more than $19,000 per policy each year. “It makes me sick to[...]

Posted 10 years ago

Oct 15

2014

Ogilvie: School reform will take 10 years

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It will take up to 10 years to turn around Buffalo’s public schools, School Superintendent Donald Ogilvie told an audience of around 70 at a luncheon Wednesday hosted by Investigative Post. And that turnaround will only happen if best teaching practices, currently stymied by outdated union work rules, are put in place, two other speakers added. Ogilvie detailed the problems he’s encountered in Buffalo schools since starting as interim superintendent in July and told the sold-out luncheon at Osteria 166 that they will take seven to 10 years to resolve. It’s essential, he said, that the Board of Education avoid[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Apr 16

2014

Failed bid to oust Paladino from school board

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Carl Paladino has survived a legal challenge that sought his removal from the Board of Education. Joan Simmons, a city resident upset with Paladino’s conduct on the board, petitioned state Education Commissioner John King in late November seeking Paladino’s removal just five months after taking office. “He has done nothing since July but create havoc, tension and animosity,” Simmons told Investigative Post earlier this week. “He is an unnecessary, destructive distraction to the board.” Paladino filed affidavits in December that contended Simmons’ petition lacked merit. King rejected the petition in a March 12 ruling that press outlets have not reported[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Oct 10

2012

Q&A: David Rust of ‘Say Yes To Education’

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Buffalo schools have a new superintendent, a new School Board president and a $190-an-hour consultant. But Say Yes to Education may hold the key to turning around the city’s troubled school district. David Rust is executive director of the non-profit organization, which will begin providing full tuition scholarships to all graduates of Buffalo public and charter schools beginning next year. Those scholarships, thus far underwritten largely by two local foundations, provide Say Yes leverage in pushing for reform of the moribund school system. Also on the agenda: providing wall-to-wall services for students and their families and reforming educational practices. Rust,[...]

Posted 13 years ago
Investigative Post