BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash announced during a press conference that the school district has turned around, adding that the number of schools in "Good Standing" has increased to 37.
According to the school district, final accountability determinations of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) show the following:
* The 4-year graduation rate climbed to 64.5% for 14 BPS high schools, with half (7) at graduation rates above the state average of 80%. Our 5-year graduation rate is 67.5%, and our 6-year graduation rate is 68.3%!
* The number of Schools in Good Standing have more than doubled from 14 (27%) to 37 (74%) since 2015!
* Receivership Schools have been reduced from the original 25 in 2015, to only two (2) today.
A press release said that in just over 3 years, Buffalo Public Schools are now only a "handful of schools away from being an entire School District in Good Standing."
“The Board of Education and I applaud the extraordinary work of our students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff, alumni, and our many, many strategic partners as we continue our trajectory toward becoming the best, highest performing, most equitable, whole child centered urban school district in the nation!” exclaimed Superintendent Kriner Cash.
Buffalo Common Council President said the turnaround surprised doubters as to how quickly some results were achieved.
However, the district realizes there is more work to be done to turnaround the 13 remaining schools that are not in good standing as per the ESSA ratings.
7 Eyewitness News Reporter Ed Reilly attended the news conference and has more in the attached report.
