NYS Assembly Standing Committee of Education
Public Hearing on Governance of the Rochester City School District
A-11404/S-8156
Rochester City Hall
City Council Chambers, Room 302-A
Testimony by Mayor Robert J. Duffy
June 18, 2010
Chairwoman Nolan, Assembly Members Gantt and Morelle and other distinguished members, welcome to the City of Rochester. I am Mayor Robert J. Duffy. We are here today to discuss the issue of school governance – a matter of vital importance to the future of our city, and most importantly – our children. I thank you for this opportunity to share my perspective on this critical topic.
In my opinion, this goes beyond the question of who controls our schools, rather this is about complete educational reform. For decades, the Rochester City School District (RCSD) four-year graduation rates have hovered around 50% -- reaching as low as 39% in 2007. This means that one out of every two students will not receive a diploma. The educational system is failing City students and we are all here today because we care about them, and need to do something to better their condition, even if it requires taking risks.
Our current urban educational system is broken. The graduation rate has dropped to 46% this year, the second lowest of any district in the state. The RCSD dropout rate is 32%. This also directly impacts public safety – nearly 70% of crime in the city of Rochester is committed by high school dropouts. Too many students who do graduate are not well prepared for college. Of 346 city graduates who enrolled in Monroe Community College four years ago, less than 9% received their degree or certificate in the standard two years. Half of the City’s high schools are failing to meet basic standards established under the No Child Left Behind Act. In some Rochester schools, more than 80% of the students are failing to attain these basic skills in math and English.
No one looking at these numbers can suggest that Rochester City schools are doing well. I have chosen not to blame people – it is the system that must change. Systemic change is needed; the system has been failing for far too long. We have had plenty of studies and recommendations, but we have yet to see any real change in the way the district operates.
The attempt at real, systemic change is exactly why this proposal has ignited a blaze of opposition and a flood of misinformation, driven largely by those who benefit from the status quo. Our district has many good schools and great teachers. But too many students are failing. If we falter and allow one-issue special interests or political infighting to prevail then we will fail. We cannot afford to maintain the status quo. For too long the decisions made regarding education have put adults before children.
The future of the city depends on its children, and they deserve a better educational opportunity, which means that the community must demand changes. We must put children and parents first.
The State and the City have invested enormous amounts of money in education for decades without measurable success. The City of Rochester dedicates 73% of its property tax levy to the City School District. When combined with state and federal aid, the District spends between $18,000 and $20,000 per student, each year. The City cannot afford to continue to overburden its taxpayers to support a failed system. We cannot saddle them with more financial weight when the median household income is only $29,000 per year.
Change is needed now. The “City of Rochester School District Governance Reform Act,” A-11404/S-8156, will establish a five-year trial period to provide that needed transformation. The legislation enables the Education Commission, in consultation with four Community Schools Advisory Councils, to develop policy changes that will indeed put children first.
The Mayor will appoint five non-paid members to the Education Commission, with City Council adding another four. There will be greater accountability and oversight than the current diffuse system that is spread out over seven elected School Board members. Future mayors and City Councils will be held accountable for producing results.
The enactment clause of the legislation provides for an effective date of July 1, 2011, during this time the implementation plan will be designed with community-wide input. Some of the goals and improvements that we seek include:
• Higher graduation rates;
• Increased safety measures for students and teachers;
• Guaranteed school choice for parents;
• Guaranteed transportation to neighborhood schools;
• Creation of true neighborhood schools with access to facilities and resources on nights, weekends and during the summer;
• More after-school programs with Rochester striving to have the best in the country;
• An effective truancy intervention program;
• Performance and needs tracking for children K-12 and beyond;
• Comprehensive college readiness and vocational training programs;
• Greatly increased opportunities for parental involvement so that they too are part of the governance structure;
• Ending wasteful duplication and reinvesting the savings in the classroom; and
• Increased accountability and accessibility to the entire educational system.
New York City’s experience has proven that a governance change can clearly make a positive difference in the academic lives of children. The New York State Education Department recently published the graduation rates for students entering their system between 2001 and 2005. Mayoral accountability was first implemented in the New York City School District in 2002. The report shows graduation rates have improved significantly:
• In 2005, 47% of New York City students graduated on time. This year 63% of the children made the grade. In 2009, Rochester’s four-year graduation rate was only 46%.
• In a five-year timeframe, graduation rates increase further, from 56% of the group entering high school in 2001 to 66% of the group entering in 2004 and graduating by 2009, showing a steady 10 point improvement. In 2009, Rochester’s five-year graduation rate was 57%.
• Dropout rates have decreased steadily and consistently in New York City since the implementation of mayoral accountability. Among students entering high school between 2001 and 2005, the dropout rate fell by almost half from 22% of the 2001 group to 12% of the 2005 group. In 2009, Rochester’s dropout rate was at 32%. This means that one out of three of our children simply gave up – this cannot be tolerated.
You can’t dispute the facts and the truth. A change in school governance to mayoral accountability can work. Our children deserve no less than our boldest and bravest efforts to provide them with the best opportunities. That said, this is not New York City’s legislation before us today. It is a hybrid that is unique to Rochester, responsive to local concerns providing a stronger voice to parents regarding their school district. It is legislation that is intended to serve our children.
Mayoral control is a myth under this proposal. This legislation requires the Mayor to work together with City Council as is the case now with every other City matter. On education policy, the Mayor will be advised by an unpaid Education Commission whose members must have an educational or business background and be residents of the city. They will serve three-year fixed terms and can only be removed for repeated absences or cause. The Commission will be required to meet at least once a year in each of the City Council quadrants. The legislation also provides for four Community Schools Advisory Councils each containing five members who will be parents of students in the school district. They will be empowered to hold public meetings and to offer advice to the Education Commission, Superintendent and the Mayor.
The opponents of this proposal have been claiming that it cannot go forward if Bob Duffy is no longer Mayor. I tell you that this is not about one person. This is a process and not an event that will be lead by one individual. This is about educational reform and putting the needs of our children first. I started this dialogue and handed the baton to the State Legislature. I want to thank Governor Paterson, Assemblyman Gantt and Assemblyman Morelle for the courage and leadership they have shown in moving this proposal forward. The community has already begun to take the baton with the formation of the Rochester Kids First Coalition. It is a broad-based community coalition of parents, youth, business and union leaders, school board members, retired educators, not-for-profit community leaders and others who are supporting educational reform and this legislation. The community will also run the next leg of the race and will actively shape the implementation plan. This is a natural evolution that does not hinge on one person.
In closing, we owe it to our kids to try a new approach. The time for fundamental change is now. We cannot afford to lose another generation of children due to our inaction.
Thank you. I would be happy to entertain any questions that the panel cares to put forward.