Today we received notification from the New York State Education Department that our preliminary application to administer East High School as an Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) beginning in 2015-16 has been approved.
We are pleased with this news, and I want to thank Commissioner John King and our government leaders, especially Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, for their support throughout this process.
Over the next several months, our work continues as Warner School leaders engage East High educators, parents, students and community members to prepare the best possible operational plan for the future of the school. This plan, and related budget, due in December 2014 will need to be approved by a number of constituencies before the University can take on the role of EPO for East. But this approval from the state represents a major step forward.
We are deeply grateful to so many in the Rochester community who have supported the University’s unprecedented endeavor to turn around East High, including Mayor Lovely Warren, the Rochester City School Board, Board of Regents Member Wade Norwood, local union officials, and many others, all of whom believe in a bright future for the school.