The Buffalo School Board could be voting soon on laying off dozens of employees after leaders of the teacher's union approved keeping an attendance clause in the district's teacher evaluation agreement.
Albany insists chronically absent students must count. The dispute is holding up $9 million in funding for six of Buffalo's low-achieving schools.
Interim Superintendent Amber Dixon says the district can not afford to make up the loss. She says after-school programs and other initiatives have been canceled in the affected schools and she has directed her human resources department to draw up a layoff plan.
"We have the numbers in front of us, we have the names in front of us, and we're going to be looking at bringing some sort of recommendation to the board next week," Dixon said.
Dixon says 60 to 70 positions, mostly teachers, are funded through the grants, which have been frozen since January.
Buffalo Teachers Federation President Philip Rumore says he will pursue legal action if the state rejects the evaluation plan because of the attendance clause and the District should join the suit. But Dixon says that is not an option.
"It's not in the best interest of our children. These resources are needed tomorrow. We're not in a position where we can be frivolous and take on issues that are really debated in education policy circles. That's not who we are. We're where the rubber hits the road. We're where the children come to school everyday and we need these funds now," said Dixon.
