Tag: schools

May 31

2023

IDA tax breaks cost schools millions

Editor’s note: This is the first of two stories on industrial development agencies. Tomorrow, we report on “perverse incentives” and other shortcomings in IDA programs. Any time Susan McGee’s children want to join an activity outside of the classroom — be it sports, music or other extracurriculars — it means one thing: a fundraiser. Raising money for extracurriculars may seem routine for a small, struggling Rust Belt city like Dunkirk, where McGee’s children attend school. But there’s another factor at play: The Dunkirk City School District loses out on an average of $5 million in revenue every year thanks[...]

Posted 11 months ago

Apr 9

2021

Dowdall discusses exam exemptions on WBEN

Published by Layne Dowdall

Layne Dowdall reported Thursday and Friday about the cancellation of Regents exams last school year and how they resulted in inflated graduation rates in many districts in Western New York. She discussed her reporting Friday with Susan Rose and Brian Mazurowski on NewsRadio 930WBEN.

Posted 3 years ago

Apr 8

2021

Regents exemptions varied among districts

Published by Layne Dowdall

Buffalo wasn’t the only local school district who graduated a lot of students who failed to pass Regents exams last year. The exams were cancelled because of the pandemic, which enabled students to obtain an exemption that allowed them to graduate, provided they earned a passing grade in any subject where exams were scheduled. Twenty-two percent of those graduating from Buffalo schools did so thanks to the exemption. Close behind them were the graduating classes of Newfane Central School District (21 percent) and Cheektowaga Central School District (20 percent). On balance 8.9 percent of seniors in school districts in Erie,[...]

Posted 3 years ago

Apr 10

2013

Schools fail on health and physical education

Published by Dan Telvock

If Buffalo Board of Education members want to pinpoint two reasons why almost half of city schools are failing they can look at the district’s physical and health education programs. The problem is they’ve been turning a blind eye. The youngest students aren’t getting enough exercise and about 45 percent of Buffalo’s seventh graders are overweight, which does impact academic performance according to national studies. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the school system isn’t in compliance with state regulations for its physical and health education programs and hasn’t been for at least a decade. The state Department of Education[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Oct 7

2012

The ‘no comment’ mayor

Published by Investigative Post staff

Mary Pasciak of The Buffalo News writes about Byron Brown’s indifference to the plight of city schools and the methods he and his press secretary. Mike DeGeorge, use to thwart reporters from covering important issues. A very insightful piece.

Posted 12 years ago