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Vision, goals and specific strategies drive budget
development
At its meeting on Dec. 21, 2006, the Board of Education
unanimously adopted six budget goals that guided the development of the
proposed 2007-08 budget. Specific strategies to meet these goals were
outlined in February, and preceded by the summary statement below.
What follows are the programs and strategies, many of them new, designed
to meet these goals, as well as the rationale and impact behind them.
The City School District of Albany will continue its
ongoing commitment to providing a sound basic education to all of its
students to ensure their success by accomplishing the following:
Budget Goal 1: All schools will meet and exceed New York
State educational standards
Budget Goal 2: The achievement gap will be eliminated while maintaining
academic rigor for all students.
Improvement Initiatives:
Implement a
comprehensive elementary literacy program districtwide
Based on a thorough review of its
literacy programs, the district will be implementing a new program that
will strengthen literacy development instruction, resources and
professional development to increase student achievement.
Expand Columbia Writing Project
This “best practice” program will be expanded to all elementary and
middle schools to ensure consistent and quality instruction is provided
to all students.
Provide
literacy coaches and academic support for elementary literacy
On-site literacy coaches will support literacy instruction and both
teacher and student development in the classroom.
Expand
Internationale Baccalaureate Programme at Albany High School
Students will have access to more rigorous academic opportunities and an
expansion in enrollment will be addressed.
Expand middle school guidance counselor staff
Additional staff will provide essential guidance services and student
supports for all middle school students.
Expand Harriet
Gibbons High School program
An expansion of faculty and course offerings will address anticipated
enrollment increase and expand course offerings while supporting the
academic success of incoming 9th grade students in a small learning
environment.
Middle
school-high school planning and program development
The initial planning resources will be available to develop
research-based school programs that enhance student opportunity and
increase achievement.
Afterschool
programs
Afterschool programs for students at five elementary schools will
continue despite the loss of a current federal grant.
Budget Goal 3: Successfully integrate students with
disabilities into the all academic areas, and improve student
achievement
Improvement
Initiatives
Increase special
education supports
Additional services for students in special education classrooms at
Philip Schuyler Achievement Academy, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle
School and Pine Hills Elementary School will be provided.
Budget Goal 4: Safe schools and student health will
remain a priority
Improvement Initiatives:
Additional security
equipment and training
Detectors, wands, security and training will be augmented to increase
the district’s capacity to maintain safe schools.
Increase security personnel
Additional faculty assistants (hall monitors) will be provided at
Abrookin Vocational Technical Center, North Albany Academy, William S.
Hackett Middle School and Albany High School to supplement existing
security personnel
Budget Goal
5: Continue to rebuild Albany Public Schools, including meeting facility
plan targets
Continue and complete reconstruction of Hackett Middle School; continue
reconstruction of School 19; design, approval and bid of renovations of
Arbor Hill, Giffen and TOAST
The facilities project - fully modernizing the district’s PreK through
8th grade school buildings - will continue.
Budget Goal 6: Continue to seek
additional state aid and reduce the impact of charter schools on the
City School District of Albany
While this goal has no direct budget
impact, district officials will continue to impress upon state leaders
their belief that financial and legislative relief from the impact of
charter schools is necessary.
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