The state education commissioner is telling the Rochester City School District that its reform plan needs to be rewritten
Commissioner MaryEllen Elia she is giving the district a six-week deadline to make the changes.
Elia says the plan in her words “fails to include an overarching, coherent vision for district improvement ” and she calls it “unrealistic”.
Elia says she hopes the school board can work with Distinguished Educator Jaime Aquino.
The plan is the district’s response to the recent report by Distinguished Educator Jaime Aquino calling for a major overhaul in the schools.
In response to Commissioner Elia’s letter, Rochester School Board President Van White says the state never asked city schools for a “cohesive” plan of improvement. And White says that the district was never asked for a “great mission statement.”
He says his understanding is that the state gave the district 84 points that needed to be implemented…and the district response was its plan to meet all 84 points. He says Elia’s letter is simply asking for more details.