The Rochester Board of Education spent its Dec. 11 work session reviewing proposed superintendent interim guardrails and a set of academic goals, and it asked the administration to finalize baseline measures, monitoring reports and target dates before a formal adoption vote.

The board chair opened the session and introduced the Council for Great City Schools as facilitators. Superintendent Rosser read the three board guardrails that the administration had translated into interim metrics: (1) preventing adoption of non–evidence-based or inequitable curricula and practices; (2) not allowing conditions that compromise students’ or staff’s physical or psychological safety; and (3) ensuring that stakeholders affected by major district decisions have opportunities to provide input.

Why it matters: commissioners emphasized that metrics must be measurable, transparent and accompanied by monitoring calendars so the board can hold the superintendent accountable. Facilitators recommended extending the goals’ time horizon from 2028 to 2030 to give the new administration time to influence budgets and programs, and several commissioners indicated support for that change.

What staff proposed: Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Cody described four interim metrics under the curriculum guardrail—(a) a K–12 classroom walk-through protocol and tool to establish a baseline for quality of instruction; (b) a district average measure of instructional practice aligned to an evidence-based instructional framework; (c) periodic collection of student work scored with a common rubric to measure grade-level writing; and (d) a CCMR (college, career and military readiness) exposure index for grades 7–12. Cody said staff will establish baselines and then set numeric targets (staff referred to those as "x to y" placeholders until baseline collection is complete).

On safety, Chief Swan said the district culture and climate survey will be used to measure both physical and psychological safety for students and staff. Commissioner Santiago pressed for explicit language and a survey sample that would capture mental-health and social-emotional domains; staff agreed to change interim wording from "emotional" to "psychological" and to provide survey items in advance.

On stakeholder voice, administration proposed measuring the percentage of stakeholders who report having an opportunity to provide input about major decisions (measured by district surveys). The board and staff debated precise wording ("events or surveys" versus "efforts/initiatives"); staff said they would finalize language to preserve the intent while improving clarity.

Academic goals presented: staff outlined four related goals and interim monitoring measures. Key year-end targets cited by staff were: increase grades 3–8 ELA proficiency from 16% to 30; raise third-grade proficiency on state ELA from 15% to 50; increase grades 3–8 math proficiency from 14% to 40; and increase the share of ninth graders earning five or more credits from 70% to 90%. Chiefs said the common formative assessments (CFAs), administered multiple times per year and aligned to New York State standards, will provide interim data; many of the CFA items are drawn from released state items. Staff repeatedly noted that baselines are still being collected and that final numeric targets will be set once baseline data are available.

Board concerns and requests: Commissioner Griffin repeatedly pressed for more concrete detail on curriculum choices, how the district will change curricula that have not produced results, and how the board will monitor and hold leaders accountable if interim measures show insufficient progress. Commissioner Griffin also said he was uncomfortable with the phrase "military readiness" as presented and asked that the district be careful about who is presented to students. Commissioner Santiago and others asked for explicit emphasis on psychological safety and social-emotional supports; staff agreed to incorporate that language and to provide sample survey questions.

Next steps: facilitators and staff said the superintendent’s team will finalize baselines and interim metrics, fill the x-to-y target placeholders, draft a monitoring calendar showing when progress reports will come to the board, and prepare communications for the public. The board will then schedule a formal vote to adopt the finalized guardrails and goals. President Simmons closed the meeting; Commissioner Griffin moved to end the work session, Commissioner Santiago seconded, and members answered "Aye."