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Buffalo Public Schools, New York
| Buffalo Public Schools |
|---|
 |
| Erie County, New York |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Tonja Williams Knight |
| # of school board members: 9 |
| Website: Link |
Buffalo Public Schools is a school district in New York.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
The current superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools is Dr. Tonja Williams Knight. The board appointed her to this position on July 14, 2022.[1]
Past superintendents
- Kriner Cash was the superintendent from 2015 to 2022. Cash's previous career experience included working as the chief of accountability and system-wide performance of Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida.[2]
- Darren Brown was the interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools from June 2015 to August 2015. Brown's previous career experience included working as the district's associate superintendent for human resources.[3]
- Donald Ogilvie was the interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools from 2014 to 2015. Ogilvie's previous career experience included working as the superintendent with Erie 1 BOCES school district.[3][4]
- Will Keresztes was the interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools in 2014. Keresztes' previous career experience included working as the district's associate superintendent.[5]
- Pamela Brown was the superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools from 2012 to 2014.[6][7]
School board
The Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education consists of nine members. Three members are elected at large to five-year terms and the other six members are elected by geographic electoral district to three-year terms.[8]
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Board of Education At-large | Janita Everhart | January 2, 2025 |
| Buffalo Board of Education At-large | Lawrence Scott | July 1, 2019 |
| Buffalo Board of Education At-large | Adrianna Zullich | January 2, 2025 |
| Buffalo Board of Education Central District | Paulette Woods | 2016 |
| Buffalo Board of Education East District | Kathy Evans-Brown | July 1, 2019 |
| Buffalo Board of Education Ferry District | Sharon Belton-Cottman | 2010 |
| Buffalo Board of Education North District | Cindi McEachon | January 3, 2023 |
| Buffalo Board of Education Park District | Theresa Drillings-Schuta | January 3, 2023 |
| Buffalo Board of Education West District | Jennifer Mecozzi | 2016 |
Elections
Members of the Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education are elected to three-year or five-year terms, depending on the type of seat they hold. Elections are held in November.[8]
Six seats on the board are up for general election on November 4, 2025. The filing deadline was May 27, 2025.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The Buffalo Board of Education maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[9]
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[10]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $107,302,000 | $3,414 | 10% |
| Local: | $170,104,000 | $5,412 | 16% |
| State: | $799,010,000 | $25,424 | 74% |
| Total: | $1,076,416,000 | $34,250 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $901,462,000 | $28,683 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $677,623,000 | $21,561 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $408,042,000 | $12,983 | 45% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $69,358,000 | $2,206 | 8% |
| Administration: | $78,249,000 | $2,489 | 9% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $121,974,000 | $3,881 | 14% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $19,144,000 | $609 | |
| Construction: | $8,045,000 | $255 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $5,635,000 | $179 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $23,044,000 | $733 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024[11] | $40,661 | $107,061 |
| 2020-2021[12] | $37,649 | $99,119 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[13]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 41 | 45 | 38 | 31 | 70-79 | 30-34 | 56 |
| 2018-2019 | 30 | 42 | 23 | 21 | 45-49 | 34 | 47 |
| 2017-2018 | 30 | 39 | 24 | 20 | 35-39 | 35 | 50 |
| 2016-2017 | 28 | 34 | 22 | 20 | 25-29 | 32 | 46 |
| 2015-2016 | 27 | 33 | 21 | 20 | 25-29 | 31 | 45 |
| 2014-2015 | 26 | 31 | 20 | 18 | 25-29 | 31 | 44 |
| 2013-2014 | 15 | 20 | 9 | 10 | 15-19 | 20 | 31 |
| 2012-2013 | 19 | 22 | 15 | 14 | 15-19 | 15-19 | 32 |
| 2011-2012 | 37 | 40 | 30 | 32 | 40-44 | 45-49 | 56 |
| 2010-2011 | 37 | 36 | 30 | 32 | 40-44 | 45-49 | 57 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 40 | 41 | 34 | 30 | 60-79 | 40-44 | 56 |
| 2018-2019 | 33 | 46 | 27 | 25 | 45-49 | 37 | 49 |
| 2017-2018 | 32 | 41 | 27 | 24 | 40-44 | 35 | 48 |
| 2016-2017 | 28 | 32 | 23 | 20 | 35-39 | 30 | 46 |
| 2015-2016 | 27 | 30 | 22 | 20 | 20-24 | 31 | 44 |
| 2014-2015 | 22 | 25 | 18 | 16 | 20-24 | 20 | 38 |
| 2013-2014 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 10-14 | 18 | 31 |
| 2012-2013 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 20-24 | 20-24 | 35 |
| 2011-2012 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 40-44 | 35-39 | 54 |
| 2010-2011 | 34 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 35-39 | 45-49 | 52 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 65 | 65-69 | 62 | 57 | >=80 | 80-89 | 74 |
| 2018-2019 | 66 | 75-79 | 64 | 53 | 40-59 | 50-59 | 78 |
| 2017-2018 | 65 | 60-64 | 65 | 53 | 40-59 | 60-69 | 75 |
| 2016-2017 | 64 | 60-64 | 64 | 54 | 60-79 | 60-69 | 71 |
| 2015-2016 | 63 | 50-54 | 63 | 51 | 40-59 | 40-59 | 74 |
| 2014-2015 | 57 | 40-44 | 55 | 48 | 50-59 | 40-59 | 73 |
| 2013-2014 | 56 | 45-49 | 56 | 46 | 30-39 | 21-39 | 70 |
| 2012-2013 | 49 | 40-44 | 47 | 37 | 30-39 | 40-59 | 64 |
| 2011-2012 | 56 | 50-54 | 54 | 45 | 50-59 | PS | 65 |
| 2010-2011 | 50 | 50-59 | 47 | 41 | 40-49 | PS | 61 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 30,124 | -2.3 |
| 2021-2022 | 30,823 | -2.0 |
| 2020-2021 | 31,428 | -6.0 |
| 2019-2020 | 33,299 | -1.4 |
| 2018-2019 | 33,756 | -0.7 |
| 2017-2018 | 33,992 | -0.9 |
| 2016-2017 | 34,293 | 2.8 |
| 2015-2016 | 33,345 | -5.7 |
| 2014-2015 | 35,234 | 1.1 |
| 2013-2014 | 34,854 | 6.0 |
| 2012-2013 | 32,762 | 0.1 |
| 2011-2012 | 32,723 | -2.5 |
| 2010-2011 | 33,543 | -2.9 |
| 2009-2010 | 34,526 | 0.0 |
| 2008-2009 | 34,538 | -3.3 |
| 2007-2008 | 35,677 | -2.4 |
| 2006-2007 | 36,540 | -0.5 |
| 2005-2006 | 36,706 | -5.4 |
| 2004-2005 | 38,704 | -6.2 |
| 2003-2004 | 41,089 | -5.8 |
| 2002-2003 | 43,474 | -3.2 |
| 2001-2002 | 44,849 | -1.9 |
| 2000-2001 | 45,721 | -1.4 |
| 1999-2000 | 46,370 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Buffalo Public Schools (%) | New York K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 13.5 | 10.0 |
| Black | 42.6 | 15.8 |
| Hispanic | 20.5 | 29.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 5.1 | 3.6 |
| White | 17.7 | 40.4 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Buffalo Public Schools had 2,964.67 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 10.16.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 107.66 |
| Kindergarten: | 158.08 |
| Elementary: | 1,337.79 |
| Secondary: | 1,297.69 |
| Total: | 2,964.67 |
Buffalo Public Schools employed 27.00 district administrators and 0.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 27.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 155.00 |
| School Administrators: | 0.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 0.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 1,306.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 1,156.09 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 82.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 40.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 0.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 167.83 |
| Other Support Services: | 316.00 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2013-2014: Superintendent Pamela Brown resigns from office
In 2013, former gubernatorial candidate and local businessman Carl P. Paladino ran for election to the school board. During his campaign, Paladino called for the removal of incumbent board members and the dismissal of the district's top administrators, including Superintendent Pamela Brown.[14] After joining the board, Paladino continued to call for Superintendent Brown's resignation or removal from office.[15][16] In September 2013, the board ruled in a 5-4 decision to keep the superintendent in place.[17]
In May 2014, Superintendent Brown announced her intention to resign after her opponents on the board won a governing majority following the election of Larry Quinn and Patricia B. Pierce.[18] The school voted 7-2 to accept her resignation on June 16, 2014. In exchange for her voluntary resignation, the district agreed to pay her a year's salary and other compensation for a total $238,667. The school board appointed district administrator Will Keresztes to the position of interim superintendent while it conducted a hiring search for Brown's long-term replacement.[19][20] Less than a month later, the board appointed Donald A. Ogilvie as the new interim superintendent of the district to replace Keresztes.[21]
2013-2014: Board member files petitions to dismiss board president from leadership position
On October 23, 2013, board member Carl P. Paladino filed an unsuccessful motion to dismiss Board President Barbara Seals Nevergold from her leadership position. He later filed an appeal with the New York State Education Department and Commissioner of Education John King, claiming that she is unfit to meet the responsibilities of the position and stating that she had allowed board meeting participants to attack him verbally.[22] Paladino then filed a second petition with Commissioner King, which argued that Nevergold's position on the board was illegitimate due to her not running for the seat in the May 2013 election following her appointment to the board. Board member John Licata made a successful resolution to hire legal counsel for Nevergold's defense.[23] Local resident Joan Simmons filed a petition with the state agency requesting Paladino's removal from the board, alleging that he was disruptive and prevented the board from carrying out its duties.[24]
On April 4, 2014, Commissioner King rejected both of Paladino's petitions based on procedural concerns and due to a lack of evidence.[25] However, Commissioner King's ruling on Paladino's second petition left open the possibility that Nevergold violated state law by not running for re-election in the May 2013 election. After hearing the decision, Paladino announced that he would pursue legal action against Nevergold in the New York State Supreme Court.[26] On May 19, 2014, Erie County Supreme Court Judge Tracey A. Bannister rejected Paladino's argument on the grounds that Nevergold was only required by law to run in the first election following her appointment for the type of seat she held, an at-large seat. The 2014 election was the first election for at-large seats following her appointment. Judge Bannister also noted that the statute of limitations for the case had passed, and that Paladino did not have the legal standing to relitigate Commissioner King's decision.[27]
2013-2014: Consultant appointed as interim deputy superintendent
In March 2013, consultant Mary Guinn and her firm, Cross and Joftus, were hired to provide leadership coaching to top district officials and to assist with the implementation of a central office reorganization plan. The initial three-month contract, which was paid with private grant money, also appointed Guinn to the temporary position of interim deputy superintendent. However, the district did not hire a permanent deputy superintendent and instead agreed to a one-year contract with Cross and Joftus at the additional cost of $432,000.[28] Board members questioned the appropriateness of Guinn's contract and involvement with payroll, internal communications, and leadership meetings. Guinn's firm canceled the consulting contract on October 8, 2013, following board efforts to remove her from the position.[29]
During the board's closed session meeting on February 26, 2014, Superintendent Pamela Brown recommended that the board hire Guinn to fill the deputy superintendent position. The board voted 5-3 to hire Guinn for a 90-day period, with board member Jason M. McCarthy absent from the meeting.[30] Guinn applied with the New York State Education Department for the credentials necessary to fill the position on October 16, 2013, which she received on February 14, 2014.[29] Following Guinn's appointment, several board members voiced their displeasure with the decision. McCarthy stated that he would have voted against her appointment if he were present at the meeting, and that he felt Superintendent Brown's request and the subsequent board vote were purposefully conducted in his absence in order to ensure Guinn's appointment. Guinn served until June 2014.[31]
2013-2014: Uncertified administrators removed from office
In 2013, Yamilette Williams and Faith Morrison Alexander were hired by Superintendent Pamela Brown as school district administrators. At the time of their hiring, they held conditional certificates to serve as school principals, not district administrators. In 2014, District human resources administrator Darren J. Brown acknowledged that his office had failed to ensure that the two officials had obtained their proper certifications and stated that the school district faced legal liability issues as a result.[32]
On March 20, 2014, Superintendent Brown announced that she had placed both officials on unpaid leave. Board members Carl P. Paladino and John Licata said that neither of the officials were still employed by the district due to the violation of their contracts.[33] Superintendent Brown attempted to retain Yamilette Williams and Faith Morrison Alexander as paid interns with an annual salary of $130,000 each. The school board rejected her proposal and voted unanimously to fire both officials on April 2, 2014.[34]
Contact information
Buffalo Public Schools
712 City Hall
65 Niagara Square
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: 716-816-3500
About school boards
Education legislation in New York
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| New York | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Buffalo Public Schools
- New York State School Boards Association
- New York State Department of Education
Footnotes
- ↑ WKBW, "Dr. Tonja Williams named the new permanent superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools," July 14, 2022
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools, "Superintendent's Page / Kriner Cash," accessed July 12, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 WGRZ, "Darren Brown Named Buffalo Interim Superintendent," June 25, 2015
- ↑ WBFO, "Ogilvie appointed interim Buffalo schools superintendent," July 9, 2014
- ↑ WBFO, "Associate Superintendent Will Keresztes named interim leader of city schools," June 17, 2014
- ↑ Buffalo Business Journal, "Pamela Brown departure from Buffalo district nearly done," June 16, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Pamela Brown gets big payout for leaving; Keresztes named interim chief, June 16, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Buffalo Public Schools, "Section 1000 BYLAWS: SUBJECT: BOARD OF EDUCATION: QUALIFICATIONS, NUMBERS AND TERMS OF OFFICE," accessed July 12, 2021
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools, "Public Participation," accessed January 23, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools, "Salary Schedule 2022-23," accessed February 2, 2024
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools ,"BTF Teacher's Salary Schedule," accessed July 14, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Paladino to launch major push to remove school board incumbents," January 24, 2013
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Paladino wins, vows to shake up school district," May 8, 2013
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Seeking changes, Paladino takes school board seat," July 10, 2013
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Board votes to keep Superintendent Brown," September 26, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedresign3 - ↑ WKBW - ABC 7, "Buffalo Board of Education Member Wants President Nevergold Out," November 9, 2013
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Buffalo District hires lawyer for school board president," November 21, 2013
- ↑ WBFO 88.7: NPR News & More, "Paladino faces action seeking his removal from school board," January 16, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Commissioner King's ruling on Paladino's petition to oust Nevergold," April 5, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpaladino - ↑ The Buffalo News, "The written ruling dismissing Paladino's bid to unseat Nevergold," May 20, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Fate of consultant in Buffalo School Board’s hands as her compensation, authority are questioned," September 24, 2013
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 The Buffalo News, "Seed sown last fall for Guinn to be rehired by school district, state records show," March 6, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Guinn’s hiring expected to create more divisiveness on School Board," February 27, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Board members call Guinn's appointment "deceptive," "disrespectful" and "sinful"," February 28, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Two top Buffalo school district officials lack state certifications," March 19, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Uncertified Buffalo school administrators no longer employed by district," March 22, 2014
- ↑ The Buffalo News, "Buffalo School Board votes overwhelmingly to fire 2 top administrators," April 3, 2014
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