Updated 02/22/2012 10:52 PM
SIG Funds Restored to RCSD
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The Rochester City School District has received good news from the State Education Department. State Education Commissioner John King announced he has restored School Improvement Grant or SIG funds to the district.
Interim Superintendent Bolgen Vargas said Wednesday he's happy about the news.
Rochester was one of 10 districts in the state, that previously failed to provide evidence of compliance with the requirements that go along with the current SIG grant application.
The district needed to make revisions to its teacher and principal evaluation and support agreements. If not, Vargas says the district would have immediately lost out on three and a half million dollars, and up to $48 millon long term.
"I had full confidence that we would come to a joint resolution on this issue. I was confident that the State Education Department and RTA and other layers were going to be able to come to an agreement and I did move forward without cutting and staff or services to this school, but that was a big risk," said Vargas.
Vargas says the new teacher evaluation agreement will take effect immediately.