Frontier Central board hears graduation-rate review, administrators identify 21 students at risk

At a Frontier Central School District Board of Education meeting, high school administrators presented a detailed review of graduation rates and interventions, saying 21 students identified after the first quarter are at risk of not graduating on time.

The presentation — led by Principal Charlton and Director of Secondary Education Sikorsky and supported by teachers and counselors — reviewed 10 years of data, explained distinctions between June and August rates, and outlined drivers of low on‑time graduation such as attendance, mental‑health issues, failures in core academic courses and the elimination of routine after‑school busing.

Principal Charlton said the district’s August graduation rate has been “remarkably consistent” over the past decade, usually between 88% and 91% with an outlier year at 84%. He noted the difference between June and August figures commonly reflects summer school make‑ups and cautioned that a single percentage point can represent only a few students in any cohort. “I’m proud of that statistic,” Charlton said, while adding the district remains focused on raising the rate.

Administrators told the board the district currently calculates its measured cohort denominator as 357 students for the Class of 2025; of those, 14 students are served out of district (for example at BOCES programs or alternative placements) and therefore have limited day‑to‑day building contact. Using a building‑level denominator that excludes those 14 students lowers the denominator to 343 and produces different building‑level projections; presenters showed a hypothetical best‑case building rate near 95% and a worst‑case near 89% based on current credit and assessment status.

Presenters divided students at risk into two general groups: a) “group A” students who are severely under‑credited and unlikely to catch up without intensive, often out‑of‑school, interventions; and b) “group B” students who have enough credits or exams to graduate but who tend to disengage in senior year. The group B students prompted discussion because they are often close enough to the requirements but do not complete the coursework or exams in time.

Cited causes and constraints

- Bus service: Administrators said the post‑COVID reduction in after‑school busing reduced the district’s ability to mandate or require students to remain for tutoring or recovery programs. "We don't have a strong ability to assign a kid after school unless they have a means to get home," Principal Charlton said. Board members and staff discussed whether schedule changes or restoring buses could help but noted driver shortages and operational limits.

- Core course failures and COVID: Presenters linked many credit shortfalls to students who missed formative instruction during the pandemic and, as a consequence, have weaker habits about deadlines. Charlton and others said missing core credits (English, math, social studies, science) often surfaces in 11th and 12th grades.

- Mental health and attendance: Staff described repeated counseling, home visits and family meetings as primary interventions. "The counselors are great with our kids," a building staff member said, describing referrals to counselors, social workers and outside providers when needed.

- Policy changes: The presentation noted a change from applying a "star 50" adjustment across three quarters to two quarters. Staff said that change was intended to increase student accountability but acknowledged it may temporarily depress measured rates while the change becomes embedded.

Interventions and recommendations

Administrators described current and proposed steps to reduce risk and raise on‑time graduation rates:

- Early identification and ongoing review: The district uses early‑warning indicators and five‑week data reviews to maintain a live list of students needing intervention and to track progress.

- Targeted supports: Counseling, frequent parent meetings, schedule changes, individualized academic interventions (AIS, NEST), credit recovery and home visits were cited as ongoing strategies.

- Reengagement programming: The district reported pilot efforts at the middle school to reengage students with attendance and academic struggles before they reach high school, and a recommendation to continue and expand those efforts.

- Alternative and flexible programming: Administrators recommended exploring in‑district hybrid or virtual programming, expanding summer and credit‑recovery options (including hybrid summer models where allowable under state rules), and reviewing whether students should repeat full‑year courses or be allowed accelerated recovery options.

- Pathway options: Staff suggested offering the 20‑first‑century skills assessment as an accessible route to a CDOS (Career Development and Occupational Studies) commencement credential, and discussed embedding freshman seminars so more students can access a 4+1 pathway early.

- Middle‑school credit expansion: Board members and staff discussed moving additional Regents or credit opportunities into middle school where appropriate so students enter ninth grade with more credits.

Special education and out‑of‑district placements

Director of Special Education Jake Brown told the board that special‑education counts and the makeup of out‑of‑district placements affect the measured rate. Brown noted summer‑school formats during the pandemic and program placement shifts contributed to historical variation. He said some students who receive the New York State alternate assessment (NYSAA) earn a credentials that are not counted as positive in the State’s graduation rate, which can depress the district’s reported percentage despite students leaving with a recognized credential.

Board reaction and next steps

Board members pressed for more disaggregated cohort numbers (several asked for exact cohort sizes and breakdowns by out‑of‑district status), and for documentation of who monitors out‑of‑district placements and how often. Administrators said counselors and CSE processes track those students, but that in‑building, day‑to‑day contact is limited.

Superintendent Swiatek and board members thanked the high school team for the presentation and asked staff to return with requested cohort counts and further details on proposed programming, costs and timelines. Staff raised a specific cost example: purchasing seats from a BOCES virtual academy runs about $17,000 per seat, which the district said motivated a look at in‑house virtual options.

Votes at a glance

At the same meeting the board took routine governance actions. Outcomes on motions taken during the session, as recorded in the meeting record, included:

- Agenda and consent agenda: Approved (motion and second recorded; vote announced as "Aye" and "Carried"). - Commendation: The board commended Nancy Cox for service on the audit committee (approved). - Personnel and retirements: The board accepted resignations/retirements and approved multiple appointments including interim assistant superintendent for finance and operations (Christopher Thummman), interim middle school principal (Keith Lewis), director of health/physical education/athletics (James Helmicki), and a reading teacher appointment (Leah Walter). All appointments were approved by voice vote at the meeting. - Auditor appointment: The board appointed Bonadio and Company LLP as external auditor for 2024‑25 (approved; specific fee and engagement letter to be presented later). - RIC resolution: The board authorized participation in the RIC Risk Operations Center intermunicipal arrangement and delegated authority to designated attorneys to negotiate DPAs/GDAs (approved). - Policy housekeeping: The board retired and began first readings of several policies as part of an update; motions carried.

Meeting context and materials

Presenters described an active, data‑driven review process and multiple follow‑up items the board requested, including disaggregated cohort counts, a breakdown of out‑of‑district students, and cost estimates for proposed in‑district virtual or alternative programming. Administrators said they will return with additional data and recommended next steps.

The presentation and the board’s discussion emphasized that increases or decreases of only a handful of students can meaningfully change the district’s reported graduation rate and that many of the district’s interventions focus on attendance, credit recovery and targeted counseling to close those small but consequential gaps.