Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Buffalo Public School District made a bold claim today, saying the district has been "turned around." Superintendent Kriner Cash declared that recent statistics point to a vastly improved district.
"Let me give you the main message today," began Cash. "Colleagues, we have a new narrative...we have a new narrative: The Buffalo Public Schools is turned around...It's no longer a failing district, it's a thriving district."
"It's no longer a failing district, it's a thriving district," says Kriner Cash, speaking of Buffalo Public Schools. pic.twitter.com/tfOqxiEEjd
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) January 17, 2019Here are some of the statistics that the district shared:
Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools, Kriner Cash, declares great progress among city schools, and that the district has been "turned around." pic.twitter.com/wAuHHc8WWT
— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) January 17, 2019Barbara Nevergold is the president of the Buffalo School Board, and she says that everyone is excited, but this news was expected.
"We are very proud of what we've accomplished, but essentially, we're not really surprised because in the last three years, since we've adopted the New Education Bargain, we have been consistently making progress," said Nevergold. "I want to commend everyone, and particularly the superintendent, because under his vision, we launched the New Education Bargain. The board certainly has been supportive of this bargain since we started it three years ago, we have seen the results, now we're seeing even more results.
Cash outlined some of the reasons for the turnaround.
"Buffalo is a big small town," said Cash. "I don't improve it as a school district, I improve it school, by school, by school. We have great leaders - I'm very strategic and specific about who I put in these schools and how we work together to support each school. They set stretched goals, and they push that envelope."
He also discussed the importance of the New Education Bargain, now known as the Education Bargain.
"Colleagues, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail, and we didn't have a plan," said Cash. "That's what the New Education Bargain did, and it's a very tailored plan to Buffalo."
He cited reduced class sizes in grades K-3, afterschool programming, a renewed attitude among teachers, and supporting more needy children and families as main aspects of the initiative that have led to success.
"My goal was to get us out of the perception of a failing school district," said Cash. "That was my goal from the beginning, and in fact, that was my job. You cannot view us as a failing school district any longer. We have a lot of work to do, and we have a lot of growth always because we get children all the time, and that's part of the work. My children are still growing, learning and developing; I'm still growing, learning and developing, so the work never stops."
The news comes as the district is facing criticism from some teachers about student conduct and teacher safety.
In just over 3 years, says the district, the Buffalo Public Schools are now a handful of schools away from being an entire School District in Good Standing.
