[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5982097,"mediaKeyId","5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724","parentId",5808015,"title","Thomas Jefferson Elementary recognized for attendance improvements and large test-score gains","audioSeconds",339,"startMs",333000,"endMs",672000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724&start=333&end=672","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724/thumbnail_333000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5982097/New-York/Thomas-Jefferson-Elementary-recognized-for-attendance-improvements-and-large-test-score-gains","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982097-543f6308ad40bb4984865c3d59ddb130/orig.mp4?Expires=1776669905&Signature=b3K29e-7mxPGi~4Q57VlN4qRjcsH~3Y4fu4eVwWiDd7yuKH4HdeHx~B7wKi~CCr5Dxz6VKyiWDSkbmEJOCHuIIgAY-Gg6XGGJOTqWU-YFEdueqFw3tDuUPAqUfsL9RurwhI2kSGt7PS~EmlBgg7dP61HJ9v~4DMCbFsB~1AcQ-7YrIXOJt4awMSEkmg6B0h~FNopD5v4AlNiEAqrZrzuC-BQ1vYA8Bo1qxpDbsAbeBp09C8jFkeJqrgl1s4oPWoIX3dBQCSVRUGGaslQQS9sMCfinmcR8~OW~uKr2orfAQ950L4kCSTS3vtCraIMAj5yeSpYwFJwW-JeRMmeEj8nyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Binghamton City School District","date","2025-09-17T00:00:00Z","article","At the Sept. 16 board meeting, Rochelle Acousto, principal of Thomas Jefferson Elementary, presented a school recognition report highlighting attendance improvements, family engagement and multi-year gains on state tests.

Acousto said chronic absenteeism decreased by about 2 percentage points over three years and that the school’s “low-risk” attendance rate increased. She described targeted attendance interventions for months when absences spike (December, January and March) and said the school has an incentive cart with student-chosen items (T-shirts, mugs, visors and other items) to reward consistent attendance.

Acousto also presented state-test cohorts, reporting large multi-year gains in third- through fifth-grade proficiency. She said third-grade ELA had increased “by a 78% total increase” over three years and third-grade math “94% increase.” Acousto reported fourth-grade ELA gains of 42% and math gains of 26% over three years, and said fifth-grade proficiency rose 52% in ELA and 185% in math for the cohort progressing through the grades. She attributed gains to family engagement and teacher effort; the presentation noted 97% of families attended at least one after-school event last year.

Board members praised Jefferson’s work and asked about details of the attendance-incentive program; Acousto described monthly tracking and a system that identifies students with near-perfect attendance for reward selection. No policy or budget action was taken as part of the recognition.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Binghamton City School District Board of Education Meeting - September 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Thomas Jefferson principal Rochelle Acousto presented three years of data showing reduced chronic absenteeism and large cohort gains on state ELA and math tests; the school reported strong family engagement and incentive strategies to support attendance.","taxTitle","BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",38439,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5982104,"Audit committee flags purchasing and personnel paperwork issues; district says cybersecurity and disaster plans are in place",180,5490000,5670000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724&start=5490&end=5670","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724/thumbnail_5490000.jpg","/articles/5982104/New-York/Audit-committee-flags-purchasing-and-personnel-paperwork-issues-district-says-cybersecurity-and-disaster-plans-are-in-place","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982104-0f0637b40cd38ed9259a4e96e7deb649/orig.mp4?Expires=1776669905&Signature=Ip48CXY8csqyj9D-sFFQx4HtNqbfqr6Jhv9ujEscDP93HgbbsHbSJefzA2dpHZo-8wBFSBWr~gASc7aggD20wwbB8BBSd7FA4HmccR~2gOcDmjgnSC1qwNi~sNmd4YQ2-pICl5ZdaDiaIsHskII8LwSGdcCJDxtVdpHjH~nQ~ylzeTW-trJdlFfJICe5TS6wSLYvNX0t5HXvJgFWzi9meLO4o~5Nj~MyyvOSsEsHZ4ktqyBD3vHmCAqS6K-Mpyap1fr0gWdFM-tu~NiIUbNk5eNz8DYKjx3CpOVRGW2p-zrRd52~aCDXB5rw9EzZh-XjOMzTn84fCn-YBM2UmDBdTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The audit committee updated the Binghamton board on a recent internal audit and on information-technology reviews during the Sept. 16 meeting.

The committee said the internal audit focused on purchasing practices and processing of bills and personnel paperwork. Findings were described as relatively minor — examples included procurement and payment items such as gifts charged to incorrect funds at recognition events and personnel-form processing mistakes attributed in part to turnover in the personnel office — and the committee circulated a corrective-action plan that identifies process fixes, staff training needs and timelines for remediation.

Committee members also summarized a review by the Regional Information Center (RIC) that examined cybersecurity practices and the district’s disaster-recovery plan. RIC found that district data are largely cloud-hosted (the committee said much of the data reside in Amazon’s cloud services); the committee reported the district is “in good shape” for disaster recovery and has steps to strengthen procedures. The audit committee said more detailed reports will be circulated and that the board will vote to accept the internal-audit report at the October meeting.

The board did not take immediate corrective action at the meeting; the committee recommended staff training, procedural reminders and implementation of the corrective-action plan, and said the external audit and the proposed corrective steps will come back to the board for formal acceptance.","The board’s audit committee reported minor findings in purchasing and personnel processing and circulated a corrective-action plan; the district also received a regional information-center review of cybersecurity and disaster-recovery practices and said core data are cloud-hosted.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5982108,"Parents press for improved metal-detector screening as board considers reducing lockdown drills and funding school security upgrades",0,6242000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724&start=6242&end=6242","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724/thumbnail_6242000.jpg","/articles/5982108/New-York/Parents-press-for-improved-metal-detector-screening-as-board-considers-reducing-lockdown-drills-and-funding-school-security-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982108-10e24dc44910275788553ba9a3fa405d/orig.mp4?Expires=1776669905&Signature=lPaxJk-IhZJ8AzqgmtyVcx2OEArU7awrwytNeiA3zG0hh0L13EkvcIPhYsmoW6qc4H-LxRPboWoh8pcgDPNwQytO~rV9X1MawTeUuib9zP5x1eh~tlGMku75BtjUSPJKHNmMbL74Di0qzQRLa411T5gp-ue5V1e0xmzKmqTbHBEjBDBf6IRVRPLKrLuMmiHLD~8vZHuzzw~3-2kFUpJj2Sryi8~14qT-bf5GSHHJM~9I0Byfnm4fuK3VupgH6xj~PJBKzxhmGN9MPrZmeNZZ9yegl-iBT0TSmIsGksdK-ZsPEIM3Z~wtnllKnVAVyu5O8YsRAnNRPl6mCqZkQW6ffA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple parents and community members used the Sept. 16 public-comment period to press the Binghamton City School District for stronger school security practices and to criticize how metal detectors are being used at the high school.

Aaron Thomas told the board he supports metal-detection screening at the high school but said his daughter walked through a detector with a phone, laptop and jewelry without triggering an alarm. “This metal detector is not being used properly,” he said, and asked for professional security staffing to operate screening equipment and for clearer ways for the public to contact the district outside board meetings.

Another commenter, Chantala Faber Vasquez, said the district should not reduce lockdown drills and expressed alarm about student safety, traffic and how rezoning could change walking patterns for students. “We need more training on the personnel and more security for our students,” she said, and asked for clarity about any boundary changes and whether shifts were being made to create rentable space.

Separately, the board reviewed a packet of resolutions from the New York State School Boards Association. The NYSSBA resolutions committee recommended adoption of a proposal (Resolution 8) that would reduce the number of required lockdown drills from four to two; the board’s delegate said she would vote in line with the committee recommendations unless members raised strong objections. Several board members expressed support for the committee’s recommendation; one board member specifically said he “really like[s] resolution 8.” The board did not itself change district policy on drills at the meeting but will register a delegate vote at the state association’s business meeting.

The superintendent told the board the district will present a smart-schools proposal at a future meeting that would fund safety-related upgrades, including communication improvements and an evaluation of metal-detection technology; she said the high-school detectors remain “state of the art” but that the technology and warranties are changing and warrant re-evaluation. The superintendent also asked the district to test additional detection machines and will report results to the board.

No policy change was adopted at the Sept. 16 meeting. The board heard public concerns and directed staff to evaluate metal-detection operations, equipment warranties and potential smart-schools-funded upgrades; the NYSSBA delegate will vote at the state association business meeting next month according to the board’s collective direction.","Public commenters urged the board to tighten metal-detector procedures at Binghamton High School; the board will vote as the district delegate on a NYSSBA resolution to reduce lockdown drills from four to two and the superintendent said smart-schools funds will be used to study safety upgrades, including detector warranties and communications.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5982113,"District personnel director reports steady hiring but ongoing shortages in math, science and music",800,4636000,5436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724&start=4636&end=5436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724/thumbnail_4636000.jpg","/articles/5982113/New-York/District-personnel-director-reports-steady-hiring-but-ongoing-shortages-in-math-science-and-music","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982113-9d30ba0cfe78a8eafb6a080463fa5ad0/orig.mp4?Expires=1776669905&Signature=mVD1Cxs8~lM2REQk-VBlxhGItfx2Z5qdy7Iv1Fwehj8ts99yjQoRvGACFQeXHqY65qpCq3eXBTxbQICrA~u0rT8BqnVFv5tqWRCocD~JezaFhEIyaFyQBkX-9ea2QrpbD7RFzcutb5P4ZMEd21OqzDnBvJeXMzMVLEjhBq-OieevIIkhdbZMNgr6OmU7lxQhs7zNWrrR1AZN6K4oPQum0LRqEocEguo3lKbqkaMOsHhtOKLaNyWN~QicYzOQptNAjBrb5jXNmP41f8J190g2mLoVQ3Q69kDMvl9-vH1WfDu400Tx3CR9U396B5J~DUKPVaWSMeU0l0q9OH4j~lUqvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dawn Adams, the district personnel presenter at the Binghamton City School District board meeting on Sept. 16, reported progress filling vacancies from the 2024–25 hiring cycle but flagged continuing shortages in select subjects and in some support roles.

Adams said the district closed many gaps over the summer: the presentation cited 102 total openings across instruction and administration through Aug. 31 for 2024–25; administrators filled 12 of 14 open administrative positions, and the personnel office recorded 42 external hires and about 62 internal changes. Elementary hiring showed progress (the presentation said 27 elementary positions were filled) but some positions were collapsed and the district has continued difficulty filling math, science, world-language and orchestra positions; the report also noted about 15 teaching-assistant vacancies remain.

Adams described active recruitment strategies: cultivating pipelines with Binghamton University and other teacher-preparation programs, encouraging uncertified hires to pursue certification, offering tuition-reimbursement pathways and “Teach for Tomorrow” stipends, and expanding outreach to community colleges. She said the number of district instructional hires filled by uncertified teachers fell from 40 last year to 18 this year, reflecting increased support for certification pathways.

The board approved a set of personnel resolutions during the meeting, including certified and noncertified assignments, retirements and other employment actions. The transcript shows motions were offered and a roll-call approval recorded for the superintendent’s recommended certified and noncertified resolutions (motions were moved and seconded; recorded roll-call responses were in the affirmative). Adams also highlighted retention strategies: mentorships for new teachers, monthly training, exit interviews, staff-wellness activities and affinity groups. When board members asked about recruiting retired staff and part-time rehires, Adams said some retired educators serve as substitutes, mentors through BOCES, or in part-time roles and encouraged principals to tap that pool.

Adams also reviewed staff diversity reporting, saying nonwhite representation increased modestly due largely to hires in noninstructional support roles. The district will continue targeted recruitment to improve racial and ethnic representation among teachers and instructional staff.

No policy changes were voted at the meeting on staffing; the board’s action was to approve the personnel items submitted in the superintendent’s packet.","Personnel staff told the board the district filled many positions over the summer but still faces hard-to-fill openings in math, science, world language and orchestra; the board approved multiple personnel resolutions during the meeting.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5982119,"Binghamton board weighs two elementary rezoning plans, board members lean toward compromise 'Scenario 2'",3110,1326000,4436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724&start=1326&end=4436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5808015-b973927876b9ee2b3d10331430a11724/thumbnail_1326000.jpg","/articles/5982119/New-York/Binghamton-board-weighs-two-elementary-rezoning-plans-board-members-lean-toward-compromise-Scenario-2","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982119-f8e9a57aa98f38e97a190adeec9c762f/orig.mp4?Expires=1776669905&Signature=cVPQhmI7C95Z194PUZlIjnLH5dyqjY12KRLM09t~LpCWw7a1VAGC75mjiYOc0qod8N0dLdQQCtX2EhjLThlOVqVRqQmagM9vIkXhuvNMVj79moXjexT48E6-0lgV49jTrHE8zvrkFOOgHqpCvk1~pjp6euqSTd4iSPkCIXsttFs4j7RljmoiXmRvITFgB1~sDozcryBw4Fb67mg~DL8fCTCQ64gRkoGBu4RaA6VhsRK1Txh4gNK9-Pq~J51moKUht~4kHkgPOB3P6AJj1j6w0zpl~NbNjzGb8Nidg7tkIsDbfE-AdVQaYa-4O1sejLM9NXOVNXbhNbbYmHvFsx-i1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Sept. 16 meeting, the Binghamton City School District board reviewed two proposed elementary boundary-reconfiguration scenarios that would move students between several neighborhood schools ahead of a major Roosevelt School rebuild and to better align students with feeder middle schools. The presentation, led by a district staff member, quantified how many students would move under each plan and prompted questions about capacity, safety and transportation.

District staff presented maps and enrollment runs showing that “Scenario 1” would shift larger groups and open more classroom sections, while “Scenario 2” would move fewer students and produce smaller increases in class sections. The staff presentation said Scenario 2 would affect about 346 students districtwide; specific shifts noted included 28 students tied to a Calvin Coolidge change and smaller groups (for example, “31 students” and “22 students” referenced for other moves). The presenter also said some English-as-new-language (ENL) instruction is currently provided across three elementary schools and that the proposals would consolidate some ENL cohorts so students stayed with peers through middle school.

Why it matters: the changes would alter which elementary and then which middle school students attend, affect class sizes and building utilization, and are linked to plans for the Roosevelt rebuild and possible future reuse of vacated space. Board members raised safety and transportation as central implementation issues, particularly where students cross major roads or the railroad to reach current schools.

Board discussion emphasized minimizing disruption while maximizing building use. Board member Steve said Scenario 2 “looks like a less aggressive change” and noted Horace Mann parents’ concern about class size; another board member described Scenario 2 as a compromise balancing neighborhood concerns and future building uses. Multiple board members asked the administration to run feasibility analyses with the district’s bus contractor and the district architect to determine whether Scenario 2 would allow repurposing a full floor at Woodrow Wilson or otherwise permit rental or community programming without producing oversized classes elsewhere.

The staff repeatedly emphasized program and capacity details: some schools currently have extra classrooms (the presenter said Wilson has eight currently available classrooms before any shifts), other buildings like Woodrow Wilson and Forestman were described as having room to absorb students, and the district expects a wave of elementary teacher retirements in the coming years that could change staffing needs. The superintendent’s office noted the timing of the Roosevelt rebuild matters: students moved during a transition year would not be sent temporarily to multiple other buildings and then back; the preferred sequencing would move students directly into their long-term placements when the new Roosevelt reopens.

No final boundary vote was recorded in the meeting minutes. A board member offered a formal motion for Scenario 2 and asked for a second; the transcript shows the motion was seconded, but a final roll-call adoption of a scenario was not recorded in the public minutes. Board members instructed staff to provide additional information before a final decision, including bus-route feasibility from the district’s contractor, architects’ analysis of usable classroom floors, and more precise street-level enrollment lists so families can be notified.

Next steps: staff will run transportation scenarios with the district’s bus contractor, ask the architect to model floor-level utilization for Wilson and Woodrow Wilson, and prepare detailed neighborhood lists and transition plans for the board to consider at a future meeting. The board discussed staging communications and transition supports such as parent outreach events and a potential short-term community-schools coordinator to assist families during the moves.","School officials presented two rezoning scenarios that would shift several hundred elementary students among schools to match building capacity and support the Roosevelt rebuild; board members favored a less disruptive option but deferred final busing and implementation decisions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Thomas Jefferson Elementary recognized for attendance improvements and large test-score gains

Audit committee flags purchasing and personnel paperwork issues; district says cybersecurity and disaster plans are in place

Parents press for improved metal-detector screening as board considers reducing lockdown drills and funding school security upgrades

District personnel director reports steady hiring but ongoing shortages in math, science and music

Binghamton board weighs two elementary rezoning plans, board members lean toward compromise 'Scenario 2'