By Cynthia Bianco
The article that ran Feb. 22 regarding the graduation rate at Niagara Falls High School, especially with respect to minority students, points out a legitimate concern regarding the number of young people who do not finish high school, however, some important facts were missing. Because this is an issue that affects our whole community — not only the school district — we feel it is important to present some more information.
The 706 students mentioned in the article described as members of the 2004 cohort include all students who entered the Niagara Falls City School District in the fall of 2004. This original number of 706 includes students who may have since moved away, enrolled in private schools, dropped out, or entered other education programs.
Districts use this number as a starting point for ensuring the accuracy of its data. According to the State Education Department, the final 2004 cohort for Niagara Falls High School consisted of 627 students, all of whom the Niagara Falls City School District was accountable. This is noted on the New York State District Report Card Accountability and Overview Report dated 2008-09, which shows a graduation rate of 73 percent for all students.
In an instance where a child has left our school, perhaps because the family relocated, we clearly cannot influence whether or not he or she graduates. That fact notwithstanding, the point of the article was simply that too many students don’t graduate. However, the majority of students who do come to school regularly, regardless of ethnicity, do graduate.
We know that if we can get students in the classroom, we can teach them. The question becomes, how can the community and the district partner to get students to attend school? It truly takes a village to raise a child; we want and need the help of parents, guardians, community leaders, role models, pastors, and everyone else to help drive this message home.
The district does employ a truancy prevention officer who works in partnership, not only with parents, but with city and county law enforcement and support agencies. We are in dialogue with the local chapter of the NAACP and the Niagara Falls Ministerial Council. We have formed a Character Education Committee made up of district and community members to try to address the best way to instill positive personal behavior. Ultimately, we are willing to talk with anyone because this is a community issue.
Bill Bradberry, a man for whom we have respect and who we recognize as well-intentioned and concerned, suggests that the district “needs administrators who are open to change and will look at alternative approaches to teaching and learning.” We certainly have such people throughout our district, at all levels, and, in fact, have implemented entirely new teaching models in recent years including the Workshop Model, have installed interactive whiteboards in every classroom to help redesign teaching and learning, have kept after school programs available during difficult economic times, and have continued a “Grow Your Own” staffing initiative for under-represented groups, to name a few initiatives.
What we need is for students to come to school. What we need is for families to teach children that education is valued. What we need is for all those who touch a child’s life to be aware of what circumstances may be preventing a child from completing his or her education. What we need is to invite the community to be active participants in educating our youth, and we welcome a public discourse on how we can all work together to impress upon youth that attending school matters ... and that it starts with each individual student and his/her family.
The Niagara Falls Board of Education
Cynthia A. Bianco, Superintendent of Schools
