The Say Yes Buffalo Community Leadership Council (CLC), the body comprised of civic and community leaders responsible for monitoring outcomes for the collaborative partnership, held its second quarterly meeting yesterday at True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo. The meeting focused on the presentation and discussion of what data points will be tracked year-over-year to measure the impact of the work that Say Yes Buffalo is coordinating with partners throughout the Western New York community.
Say Yes Buffalo and its partners aim to:
• Strengthen the Buffalo public school district
• Remove the barriers that prevent students from successfully graduating high school and going on to earn a postsecondary degree (trade certificate or college degree)
The data points that were presented for the Community Leadership Council’s discussion include:
•Academic markers such as the number of students who are proficient and advanced at English language arts, math and several regents courses
•Enrollment numbers in the Buffalo Public Schools
•High school graduation rates for charter and public schools in the city of Buffalo
•College matriculation and graduation rates for graduates of charter and public schools in the city of Buffalo
•Attendance rates
•Disciplinary suspension rates
Collectively, the data points will be measured and presented annually in the Say Yes Buffalo Performance Report Card. The indicators and framework for the Report Card were presented at the CLC meeting by Say Yes Buffalo Operating Committee members, Dr. Pamela C. Brown, superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools, and Samuel L. Radford III, president of the District Parent Coordinating Council.
Experts at Johns Hopkins University and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University will be responsible for tracking and evaluating data to populate the Report Card. They will evaluate information from existing databases managed by New York State, the City of Buffalo, Erie County, the Buffalo Public School District and Say Yes Buffalo.
In addition to presenting the data points that will be tracked and measured, Brown and Radford also shared the estimated timeline for when Say Yes Buffalo expects to begin seeing positive improvements. The timing presented ranged ranged from 2 years (increase in college/trade school matriculation rates) to 5 years (improved performance with academic markers and increased postsecondary completion rates).
“This annual Report Card gives Say Yes Buffalo, our partners and the public the information necessary to hold our efforts accountable–ensuring we stay on track and focused in our efforts to strengthen Buffalo’s public schools and remove the barriers for students to extend their education beyond high school,” said David Rust, executive director, Say Yes Buffalo.
To review the Say Yes Buffalo Performance Report Card presentation and other CLC meeting materials visit www.SayYesBuffalo.org.
Say Yes Buffalo is dedicated to increasing high school and postsecondary graduation rates among students attending Buffalo public and charter schools. Say Yes Buffalo and its partners provide comprehensive supports, including locally funded scholarships for college or vocational education, aligned with what research indicates is needed to enable every child in the program to achieve his or her potential.
Say Yes Buffalo is made possible by the generosity of Western New York individuals, families, businesses and foundations and Say Yes to Education, Inc., a national, non-profit education foundation. www.SayYesBuffalo.org.