Buffalo Public Schools Bill Targets State Accountability

With the start of school in Western New York just about three weeks away, there is at least one person in the New York State Assembly who wants to make sure the second-largest school system in the Empire State has some extra support to make sure it can handle its business in the coming year.

According to reporting from WIVB-TV, Assemblymember Jon Rivera, who represents parts of Buffalo and Lackawanna as part of New York's 149th Assembly District, has proposed a new law that would appoint a state monitor to the Buffalo Public Schools.

The state of New York provides over a billion dollars a year in funding to the Buffalo School District, and to have the results we’ve seen and the outcomes we’ve seen, it’s time that investment that New York State makes comes with some accountability and some answers
-Jon Rivera, New York State Assembly Member for 149th Assembly District

Now, while new interim BPS Superintendent Dr. Ebony Prophet-Bullock has said that the city welcomes any help it can get, it's clear that something different has to be done because conditions with the school system have shaken the confidence of many city residents.

Even though Assemblymember Rivera submitted Assembly Bill A11634 to the Legislature, it's going to be a few months before anything happens with it. Both houses in the New York State Legislature are in recess, and they don't return to session until January 2027.

While the efficacy of this new monitor will take some time to be seen, one thing that we know we need more than anything is for more people in Buffalo and Western New York to involve themselves in the education and support of our children.

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Gallery Credit: Ed Nice

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Gallery Credit: Ed Nice