Along with major efforts to improve some of Buffalo's most-troubled schools, the district is also expanding its programs for special groups of students.
The initiatives focus on those without a strong command of English, those who have fallen far behind their peers toward graduation and the severe discipline problem students.
The ESL students are in Lafayette's Newcomers program and discipline students are at School 4.
Strategic Alignment and Innovation Chief David Mauricio says East houses Pathways for those fallen-behind students with a plan.
Individualized student support plan. What that means is each student will have a pathway and a plan that says here's where you are now and here's where you want to be and here's how we're going to get you there," Mauricio said.
"What we do as a school. What will you do as a student? What will mom or dad or grandma and grandpa do, as a parent support system, as well? And, then that will be monitored and tracked to make sure kids are successful."
Mauricio says if the kids stay with the program and its after-school component, they will graduate. That would help the official graduation rate because traditionally many of those students fall so far behind that they drop out. This plan intends to get them to graduate.
