By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – The State Education Department Friday released its list of schools in New York in need of improvement.
This year for the first time, schools are being held accountable for the achievement of students of different races, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency and low-income students. They must also have 95 percent of their students participate in the tests.
"Our focus needs to be on the children. We need to do everything possible to help them achieve the standards," State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills said. "The information we have provided will help schools take a closer look at the children who still need more help."
Numerous schools in the Buffalo School District are on five separate lists, ranging from "Schools in Need of Improvement" to "Schools Requiring Academic Progress." The most serious category is "Schools Under Registration Review," known as the SURR list. These are schools that are farthest from state standards and most in need of improvement.
Nine Buffalo schools are on the SURR list, including South Park and Burgard High Schools.
The complete list is available at www.emsc.nysed.gov.