WXXI-TV BROADCASTS MAKING THE GRADE – THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN NEW YORK ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 AT 9 P.M.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kristin Tutino, (585) 258-0253

WXXI-TV BROADCASTS MAKING THE GRADE –
THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN NEW YORK ON
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 AT 9 P.M.
New York State Commissioner of Education Joins the Panel Discussion

February 7, 2006 (Rochester, New York) – Richard Mills, New York State Commissioner of Education; Kati Haycock, Executive Director of the Education Trust; Daniel Lowengard, Superintendent of Syracuse Schools; and Dr. James Williams, Superintendent of Buffalo Schools will come together to discuss the state of New York’s education system in a live, television program. Making the Grade – The State of Education in New York airs Friday, February 10 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11).

The special broadcast will investigate and share successful programs in New York and other school systems. The agenda includes:

乹 The baseline: the achievement gap between rich and poor, and American and foreign graduates.

乹 The relationship between standards and funding, including the federal initiative "No Child Left Behind".

乹 Buffalo's "District Dialog Days" & "Curriculum Think Tank" projects.

乹 Rochester's gains in students meeting state Math and English standards.

乹 Teacher training, quality control and the role of tenure.

Viewers will have a chance to call in or email questions. The phone number and email address will be posted on screen during the 90-minute broadcast.

WXXI continues to look at the education system with New York Learns: Parents’ Night, airing Wednesday, February 15 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 (cable 11). The program features three students in low performing high schools that are closing in on graduation. For each of them, a Liberty Partnership Program (LPP) – a program established in response to the high school drop-out rate among New York State

students – is the key to their success. LLP, which is funded by the New York State Education Department, provides a variety of services to help students feel comfortable and successful in school including counseling, tutoring, social activities and career discovery.

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WXXI is an essential, lifelong educational resource for the Greater Rochester area. WXXI provides programming that stimulates and expands thought, inspires the spirit, opens cultural horizons and promotes understanding of the issues of our diverse community, nation and world. Log on to www.wxxi.org for more information about our services and programs.

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