School Improvement Grant Funding Reinstated

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has announced that the School Improvement Grant (SIG) Funding for the Syracuse City School District has been reinstated. Syracuse is one of five school districts to have successfully had their funding restored.

“We are extremely pleased that our School Improvement Grant Funding has been reinstated. The permanent loss of this funding could have had a paralyzing effect on our students and staff in some of our neediest schools”, said Superintendent Sharon L. Contreras.

The school district in collaboration with the Syracuse Teachers Association (STA) and Syracuse Association of Administrators (SAAS) submitted revised Memorandums of Agreement to the NYSED on Wednesday, January 18, 2012. The reinstatement comes after a round of productive negotiations between the district and STA and SAAS. The negotiations centered on the teacher and administrator evaluation systems that must be in place per the requirements of NYSED for all PLA schools for the 2011-12 school year. The intent of the agreement is to facilitate improvement of instructional practices; support teacher development; and promote learner-centered schools.

“We are pleased that our agreement was accepted and the SIG funding has been restored. This means the dedicated educators we represent will be able to continue providing direct services and quality instruction to their students. We hope the state recognizes the collaborative efforts of the union and the SCSD to do what is in the best interest of kids,” said Syracuse Teachers Association President Kevin Ahern.

You can read an announcement by State Education Commissioner John King here.