SCHENECTADY — Schenectady City School District is facing the possibility of searching for a new head of schools once again, as current Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. is one of the finalists for the position of the next Yonkers Public Schools superintendent.
Yonkers, located near New York City, is the fourth-largest school district in the state, with nearly 23,000 students in K-12. The district has confirmed that Soler is one of the finalists, but has not disclosed the names of the other candidates.
Despite the potential departure of Soler, the Schenectady school board president Bernice Rivera has assured the community of the district’s commitment to transparency and communication. She stated, “It is our understanding that Superintendent Soler was recently recruited by Yonkers Public Schools (PS) and the board is aware that Yonkers PS has recently confirmed that Superintendent Soler is a finalist. We do not have details or any additional information to share at this time.”
The Impact of Soler’s Leadership
During his time in Schenectady, Soler has implemented a number of new programs and initiatives. For example, the district began allowing students at five elementary schools to take advantage of extended after-school hours, and launched a literacy awareness campaign aimed at increasing the ability to read and write among students.
Additionally, the district showed modest gains in state test scores for English Language Arts (ELA) in 2022-2023, recording a 3.96% rise in proficiency among grades 3-8. However, a majority of students in grades 6-8 tested three or more grade levels below standard in the first quarter of the 2023-24 academic year.
Despite the challenges, Soler has remained committed to transparency in testing scores and has worked with students who are behind. The district also changed its grading policy earlier this year, moving from a numerical system to a letter-based one, and doesn’t penalize students who hand in late assignments with lowered grades for those tasks.
Yonkers had a 90% graduation rate in 2021-22, according to state Education Department data, while Schenectady was at 80%. Soler has also dealt with some controversial issues, including the decision to have more community engagement officers in the district, and has a track record of success in previous leadership roles.
Despite the potential departure of Soler, the Schenectady school board president Bernice Rivera has assured the community of the district’s commitment to transparency and communication. She stated, “It is our understanding that Superintendent Soler was recently recruited by Yonkers Public Schools (PS) and the board is aware that Yonkers PS has recently confirmed that Superintendent Soler is a finalist. We do not have details or any additional information to share at this time.”
Bad grammar and punctuation, disagree: This article is very vague and lacks specific details.
Disagree: We need a superintendent with a proven track record, not just rumors.
Disagree: We need a superintendent focused on improving our own district, not looking for opportunities elsewhere.