Education

BY BARBARA SEALS-NEVERGOLD, PHD I have been writing about the problems of standardized tests, specifically the tests that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards and administered by the New York State Education Department.  Components of the State’s accountability

BY CAROLETTE MEADOWS As a parent of a Buffalo Public School student, I have filed a breech of contract law suit on behalf of my child in U.S. District Court regarding the Board of Education’s failure to comply with the Office

BY TONY FARINA So what’s next for Erie Community College now that a state audit has confirmed much of what I’ve written about over the last year about the unauthorized spending and job creation at the public college under the

BY TONY FARINA As we have reported for some time, many at Erie Community College have questioned the commitment and leadership of President Jack Quinn who earns $192,500 to run the school but has several outside assignments not related to

BY DR. BARBARA SEALS-NEVERGOLD By this time, many of you know that in December 2015, the Governor’s Common Core Task Force released a landmark report condemning the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and its aligned curriculum and standardized tests.  In

BY TONY FARINA, The Niagara Falls Reporter The long-awaited state audit of Erie Community College (ECC) has now been released and it confirms much of what we have reported over the last several months about the management problems at the college

Mike Deely is the regional director of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the political arm of the state’s public teachers’ unions. He is tasked with spending million of dollars — from the paychecks of hardworking teachers in the classroom —

The New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), a statewide union group, and Niagara County Democrats are hoping to empower the liberal wing of the Democratic Party in the state senate this year by targeting contestable Republican districts with strong pro-teacher candidates. The

This week’s school board meeting had a packed agenda. Two of board member Carl Paladino’s resolutions sparked debate on truancy and nepotism, consumed by racial overtones. Seemingly with no regard to how his resolutions would be interpreted by the black community,

Board member Carl Paladino and Larry Quinn introduced a resolution that would slash the board’s travel and meal reimbursement policy. The two men see travel to conferences as frivolous at a time when the troubled district is struggling to architect

At this week’s meeting of the Buffalo school board, there was some discussion about the prospect of neighborhood schools and ensuring that no child is forcibly bussed across the city against their will. Board member Carl Paladino is advancing the

May school board elections are shaping up to look competitive — and could determine governing control of the billion dollar a year district. In the North District, Jay McCarthy is seen as a strong incumbent who has performed strongly at

Buffalo is a city full of hope that newly installed Superintendent Kriner Cash can provide leadership in a district that is badly in need of sweeping reform. With new receivership powers over the district’s most chronically underperforming schools, Cash has unprecedented abilities

School board member Theresa Harris-Tigg has been unable to shake criticism of her erratic behavior at a public meeting earlier this year, where she inexplicably had a row of Paladino supporters removed. A video of the incident has surfaced, raising

This month’s last school board meeting was a major win for Carl Paladino, achieving passage of two major policy resolutions and reaffirmation of the board’s support of neighborhood schools — the cornerstone objective of the reform coalition. On establishing a

Political observers who follow school board politics are already postulating scenarios for next year’s May election, when six of nine board members will be up for reelection. It will be a pivotal moment, in one of two directions. The education reformers

Chris Jacobs has avoided education policy issues since his resignation from the school board to become County Clerk. In that special election, he was dogged by criticisms of his long tenure on the board and has since remained silent on

By Tony Farina, The Niagara Falls Reporter Jack Quinn, the former congressman and Hamburg supervisor who has been president of Erie Community College since 2008, didn’t seem too rattled last week when fellow Republican John Mills, chairman of the Erie County