News
6/13/07--Wilson Drops by 150 in Newsweek's Top High Schools List
Rochester Fund (Rochester, N.Y.) - In a single year, Rochester's Wilson Magnet IB Program has slipped from 24th to 174th in the Newsweek Top High Schools List, released this week. The Wilson Magnet High School, for the second year, has also been cited by New York State Education as needing improvement in both Math and English Language Arts. The drop in performance is mirrored by rising parent concerns about school safety and leadership.
6/13/07--Janey Leaves With Plans Unfinished--After Less Than 3 Years on the Job, Schools Chief Is Negotiating for a Buyout
Theola Labbé/Washington Post (Washington, D.C.) - Clifford B. Janey arrived in the District nearly three years ago, hailed by city leaders and the Board of Education as the career educator whose experience teaching low-achieving, urban children was just what the D.C. school system needed.
After six superintendents in 10 years, Janey reassured parents and students in September 2004 that he intended to stay put and "finish the job."
But Mayor Adrian M. Fenty decided that Janey, 60, would not finish the job.
Fenty (D) told Janey in an 11:30 p.m. telephone call Monday, less than an hour before the mayor officially gained control of the D.C. Public Schools, that Janey would not be appointed to the new chancellor position. A few hours later, Janey's school system e-mail account had been canceled. Go to the Washington Post for full article.
6/7/07 -- Ex-Principal Sues RCSD Over Alleged Buyout
Rachel Barnhart/13WHAM (Rochester, N.Y.) – A former Rochester City School District principal says the district broke a promise to pay him $75,000 in exchange for his retirement last year.
Dennis Malinowski retired from Edison Technical and Occupational Center last summer after 21 years in the district.
He filed a lawsuit this week saying around May 2006, representatives from his union told him that the district “would be offering a $75,000 separation incentive in order to induce certain principals to retire that year.” Go to 13 WHAM for full story and copies of FOIL requests and lawsuit.
Rachel Barnhart/13 WHAM (Rochester, N.Y.) – Dozens of parents received letters saying their children got into some of the best high schools in the city, only to find out later it was a big mistake.
The mix-up began when the district sent out acceptance and rejection letters to students who applied to either School of the Arts, School Without Walls, or the Language Academy at Monroe. Nine hundred of the district’s 2,400 sixth-graders applied for a total of 400 slots.
District officials discovered the letters left out some key information. The reprints, marked “corrected,” changed the denial to acceptance on some letters. Sixty-eight parents were erroneously informed their children were accepted to their first-choice schools. Go to 13 WHAM for full story.
5/19/07 -- Faith Alliance Seeks 'Parent Power'
Greg Johnston/RNews (Rochester, N.Y.) - With a graduation rate of 39 percent, it's obvious there is room for improvement within the walls of the Rochester City School District.
That's why a faith-based organization is calling upon parents to do their part. The Faith Community Alliance organized a rally Saturday at the Central Church of Christ.
Organizers are calling upon parents to push, educate and call for a better education for their children.
"It's time to stop accepting mediocracy and let's stand together as one community to excel the progress of our children," said Clifford Florence Sr. of Faith Community Alliance. Rochester city schools saw a nine percent increase in state aid for the 2007-2008 school year. Go to RNews for full story.
Rachel Barnhart (Rochester, N.Y.) – Former Rochester Superintendent Dr. Clifford Janey was forced out of office in 2002 amid budget controversies that included the size and payroll of his cabinet.
When it comes to the Rochester City School District’s top-level staff, not much has changed under Dr. Manuel Rivera.
An analysis of data obtained by 13WHAM News through the Freedom of Information Law shows Rivera increased the size of his non-secretarial appointed staff by six positions, to 36. The payroll for this group also increased by 45 percent, to $4.02 million during Rivera’s five-year tenure. Go to 13 WHAM for full story.
© 2007-09 Rochester Fund for Educational Accountability.
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