RCSD, NYS Education Department, and NYS Board of Regents’ Continued Political Con Game
In accordance with the article at the first reference link below - can someone please explain why in-the-heck would the New York State Education Department pay someone "$180 an hour, up to $150,000 a year to assist [literally the highest paid Board of Education in all of New York State, and one of the highest paid Superintendents in the State] in addressing fiscal and operational challenges," especially since the Board includes a Commissioner who claims to be such an outstanding budgetary expert and watch dog--- not to mention the RCSD six-figure-salaried Executive Director of Budget and their multi million-dollar Office of Budget and Revenue? Damn!!!
Shouldn't somebody be let go??? NO OTHER BUSINESS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH WOULD OPERATE IN THIS MANNER, AT LEAST NOT ONE THAT'S SUCCESSFUL!!!
What is it (exactly and specifically) that this new guy is going to do that Jaime Aquino, Jaime Alicea, and Shelley Jallow didn't do???
The truth of the matter is, after D. Aquino's 2018 Report, the ONLY thing that was needed was IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE EXCELLENT REPORT --- PERIOD. However, since there was so much push-back and resistance from the dysfunctional Rochester Board of Education, and especially from the mighty Rochester Teachers Association, the Recommendations were never taken seriously by then State Education Department Commissioner Elia, Chancellor Betty Rosa, nor New York Regents in general. As usual, you all prostrated to the organization that's known as the most powerful education lobbying group in all of New York State (NYSUT, and its local affiliate RTA).
What in the world is the Board of Regents Chancellor talking about??? "The Rochester City School District must achieve continued fiscal and academic progress to ensure the students of Rochester receive the high-quality education they deserve," OR WHAT??? How long have we been hearing this empty, super-hyper-rhetoric??? Do y'all remember this: "Change is coming to the city school district, one way or another" ???
In fact, what does the Chancellor's quote above even mean??? What exactly and specifically does he mean by: "The Rochester City School District must achieve continued academic progress???" Is he referring to minuscule so-called gains such as the fact that (according to the same New York State Education Department that's shelling out public funds in ways that look exactly like double-dipping) ---16% of the 89% of RCSD students who were tested in grades three through eight, were so-called "proficient" in ELA, and 14% were "proficient" in math during the 2022-23 school year --- compared to 13% and 12% respectively during the 2021-22 school year. This means that over the one year time period, literally, only a few students did better than the previous year --- while the vast majority (in many cases) were nowhere near so-called "proficient" either year.
Is this supposedly an example of what the Chancellor means by so-called "continued academic progress to ensure the students of Rochester receive the high-quality education they deserve???" I hope-the-hell-not. So then, if this is NOT an example of what he's talking about - then what (exactly) is the specific manner by which he's measuring so-called "continued academic progress???" This is NOT a rhetorical question. We need the answer.
It's just amazing how taxpayers allow this type of subterfuge to go on and on, and on, without raising even an iota of hell. Apparently the bottom line is as long as folks are pretending to produce change and improvement, and there are no uprisings , this is all acceptable, even though many swear it's not. It is.
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