Buffalo Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash said the receivership plan for five persistently failing schools is back in the hands of the State Education Commissioner. Cash made his comments during A Wednesday forum with our new partner, Investigative Post's Jim Heaney. WBFO's Focus on Education Reporter Eileen Buckley says Cash is vowing to be aggressive with receivership powers.
“I don’t have any worries about being micro managed. I don’t have any worries about being bullied or anything like that – that’s not going to happen to me,” responded Cash when asked how he is dealing school board members.
Cash pointed out that during in his time in education he never dealt with a majority-minority school board.
Cash was also asked about dealing with a divided school board. Cash says he never experienced a board majority - minority.
Superintendent Cash said the district has failed to reached agreement Buffalo Teachers Federation on a number of work rules for receivership.
"So length of school day, professional development, the number of times you meet and for what purposed that you meet. The curriculum and instruction, so of the delivery around technology and use of technology, again putting the best teachers where we need them," stated Cash.
But Cash said the district might learn by as early as this Friday about receivership plans.
"I’m hoping to hear something by the end of this week or beginning of next week," said Cash.
"How concerned are you that this is going to land back in the courts?," asked Buckley.
"You have to talk to the BTF chief on that, all I know is what window I have now what the law says now and I’m going to test every aspect of it so we’re going to push it hard," responded Cash.
Cash covered a variety of topics. He said he believes the city teachers are as good as other parts of the country, but they need to be brought to scale.
"You have to make sure there are great teachers in every class, in front of every child. That’s priority one. That’s how you do it," stated Cash. "How close are we right now?," asked Heaney. "Not close," answered Cash. "You have a lot of good teachers, but you have a contract that constricts placing effecting teachers in every classroom and getting rid of teachers who are ineffective."
Cash is vowing to be aggressive with receivership powers. He said in three to five years from now he does not want to see any city school in receivership.