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Plagued by fighting and other disturbances, RCSD reconsiders police presence

Justin Murphy

October 19, 2021 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Rochester, New York

During the 2020 social justice protests, Rochester city school leaders quickly acted to remove police officers from the schools. A long-time goal of school-discipline reformers, ending the use of school resource officers was meant to create openings for responses to student violence other than arrest or suspension. Eighteen months later, the school superintendent sought to increase a police presence in schools in light of a rise in fights among students. Reform advocates accused the district of failing to follow through with effective alternatives to the punitive responses to discipline problems.

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Student led initiative and city district can offer advice as suburban schools diversify

Justin Murphy Georgie Silvarole

December 14, 2018 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Rochester, New York

Student-led initiatives in Rochester City School District help students of color share their experiences with racism and foster communication between students, faculty, and administration - within and outside the classroom. While there is still evidence of racial bias and stereotypes, the district has made strides toward solving these problems.

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In 30 seconds: How Rochester seventh-graders crushed Regents algebra

Justin Murphy

November 29, 2018 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Rochester, New York

Nathaniel Rochester Community School 3 in the Rochester City School District in New York has a record of poor academic achievement, but a special accelerated summer math program had 16 seventh graders pass the Regents algebra test. Students and administrators attribute the success to having the program focus on acceleration rather than remediation and the genuine support from the teachers for the students.

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Here's a simple way Rochester could improve educational outcomes for city kids

Justin Murphy

November 01, 2018 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Windsor, Ontario

Both Rochester, NY and Windsor, Ontario are destinations for refugees. However, Ontario has had more success acclimating these newcomers through its early education programs. On a reporting trip, Rochester's Democrat and Chronicle finds that the integration of education and social services for families and province-wide planning in lieu of local planning are key to making Ontario's system work.

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Innovation schools are a cross between public and charter. Could they come to Rochester?

Justin Murphy

July 18, 2018 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Indianapolis, Indiana

Recent reports show steady improvement for students attending Indianapolis’ Innovation Schools - a unique model that “marries the autonomy of charter schools with the resources and scale of a school district.” While Innovation Schools are controlled by an outside nonprofit or board of directors and are free to make their own curriculum decisions, they rely on the public school system for a number of key resources and their test scores count towards the district's overall performance. Could this structure work in other states with varying political cultures surrounding charters and unions?

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How an RCSD school raised its graduation rate by 20 points in three years with innovation

Justin Murphy

June 05, 2018 |

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Rochester, New York

East High High School in the Rochester City School District is three years into an Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) with the University of Rochester and has seen measures of success, most notably the fact that suspensions fell from 2,5000 in 2015 to 300 in 2018. Although there is still work to be done, success strategies include giving more autonomy to the principals and changing how unions and schools bargain with each other.

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