Buffalo superintendent unveils five‑year “Moving Forward Together” strategic plan with measurable 2031 targets

Superintendent Dr. Pascal Mabenga presented “Moving Forward Together,” a districtwide five‑year strategic plan that sets quantified targets and operational steps to guide Buffalo Public Schools through June 2031. The plan, developed with about 59 stakeholders, centers on four priorities: academic excellence; supporting the whole child (safety, well‑being and belonging); student, family and community collaboration; and efficient, equitable operations.

Dr. Mabenga told the board the document was a community product and “this is BPS’ plan,” and he emphasized the five‑year horizon was chosen so future leaders could continue the work. The plan pairs vision and mission statements with SMART goals and annual benchmarks to measure progress.

The most prominent academic targets, presented by Dr. Tamara Thomas, include a district goal that students in grades 3–8 show a cumulative 20 percentage‑point increase in ELA and math proficiency on New York State assessments by June 2031, with annual benchmarks that ramp by roughly 3–4 percentage points per year. The plan adds comparable 목표 for grades 5 and 8 science, an increase in AP and dual‑credit enrollment at the high‑school level, and a target to raise the district’s overall graduation rate toward 75 percent by 2031 (the presentation lists a current reference range leading to that target).

Priority 2 focuses on belonging and attendance. Dr. Ebony Prophet Bullock, the district’s chief accountability and information officer, said the plan sets a goal of at least 85 percent average daily attendance districtwide by June 2031 and aims to reduce chronic absenteeism from the reported baseline (~77.6 percent) to 60 percent. Strategies include strengthening tiered (MTSS/RTI) supports, expanding social‑emotional and mental‑health services, and implementing structured advisory time so each student connects with an adult.

Sharon Brown, chief of student support services, described operational mechanisms: early‑warning indicator dashboards, school‑based attendance teams, home outreach, and partnerships to address nonacademic barriers such as transportation or housing. The plan commits to translating essential documents into the district’s top 10 languages and to using tools such as TalkingPoints and LanguageLine for interpretation.

On operations and finance, the CFO outlined targets that include reducing buses that arrive 30+ minutes late by 20 percentage points from the 2026–27 baseline, maintaining an audited general fund balance of at least $200,000,000, and an unassigned fund balance equal to 4 percent of the next year’s budget. The CFO said capital work is underway: roughly $33 million in year‑one projects at 24 locations and an anticipated year‑two capital program of about $60 million, with a planned bond sale in September.

Several board members pressed for implementation details. Board member Larry Scott asked for updates on a prior resolution to align charter school bell schedules and on eliminating district transportation within 1.5 miles; the CFO said no substantive changes had yet been implemented and staff would follow up. The CFO and superintendent also said the revenue‑maximization team and the director of transportation were reviewing reimbursement possibilities for foster and homeless students transported long distances.

Dr. Mabenga said the superintendent’s office will be responsible for accountability and will use “nonnegotiables” posted at schools and in central office to enforce expectations. If the board approves the plan at the next regular meeting, the district will hold cabinet and staff training, teacher professional development, and an annual monitoring cycle that preserves SMART goals while allowing strategy adjustments.

The board asked for the drafted strategic plan and the mission statement for review; staff agreed to provide the materials in writing. The work session closed with the superintendent committing to bring the plan back for a formal board vote at the upcoming regular meeting.