Resolution 2014-15:2

WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Education Law 3003 states: “The commissioner, at the request of a board of education or board of cooperative educational services, may provide for the issuance of a certificate as superintendent of schools to exceptionally qualified persons who do not meet all of the graduate course or teaching requirements of subdivision one of this section, but whose exceptional training and experience are the substantial equivalent of such requirements and qualify such persons for the duties of a superintendent of schools.”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Bolgen Vargas has not demonstrated “exceptional training and experience” that would qualify him for the issuance of a certificate as superintendent of schools; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Bolgen Vargas, being less than qualified for the position of Superintendent, has made plans, recommendations, and decisions as Superintendent of Schools for the Rochester City School District; and

WHEREAS, those  plans, recommendations, and decisions have not proven to increase the graduation rate, attendance rate, or educational success of the students or schools in the district; and

WHEREAS, a letter from Commissioner King dated January 3, 2012 to Superintendent Vargas states, “Because your district has not provided us with sufficient evidence that these commitments have been fulfilled, we are taking immediate action to suspend all future SIG payments with respect to funds allocated to schools implementing the Transformation model. Please be advised that federal Teacher Incentive Funds and Race to the Top funding could also be in jeopardy; we are reviewing federal guidelines to determine the impact of this situation on those funds” is evidence of the inability of the current administration to efficiently and effectively perform certain duties of the Superintendent’s position:


RESOLVED, the Board of Education Commissioners place a moratorium on all Superintendent Vargus’ plans, recommendations, and decisions until such time as they can be efficiently and effectively vetted by the Board as to their relevance to the RCSD population, reliance on data, and reference and alignment to current research on  childhood development, learning, and strategies that promote educational success; and

RESOLVED, the Board of Education Commissioners meet individually with their liaison school communities to create a Comprehensive Educational Plan; and

RESOLVED, the Board of Education Commissioners will, from the CEP’s created from individual school communities, create and maintain a “living” document as the District Comprehensive Educational Plan.