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In 2007-2008, the New York State  budget provided the Schenectady City School District with additional funding and opportunities to invest in new resources and programs to help students achieve greater academic success. 

The increased funding from the State requires a commitment from the school district under a "Contract for Excellence." 

Throughout the 2007-2008 school year, the Schenectady School District began administering many new initiatives designed to help students make strong academic strides including the following:

• Staff was added to all three middle schools to reduce class sizes in sixth grade to a 20:1 student to teacher ratio.  At the seventh and eighth grade levels, the district goal is to improve teacher to student ratios below 24:1. 
  
  Remedial and math teachers were added to all three middle schools.  The new remedial staff has allowed the district to assign one intervention specialist in reading and one in mathematics at each of the three middle grade levels. 
  
  This will help Schenectady students to meet or exceed the New York State Learning Standards while rapidly improving the ELA and math scores over the next few years.

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  The district as assigned a veteran master elementary teacher to each elementary school to act as instructional coaches and mentors.
  
  The goal is to improve the learning environment in each building and to provide necessary support and training to the Schenectady teaching staff.  This will be accomplished by improving both instructional skills and student management skills as well as by promoting consistent use of the district's differentiated instruction model and Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) principles in every classroom.

1. Extended school day programs are available in all schools. 
   
   This initiative allows the district to offer a lengthened school day to all children.  The program targets specific high needs children in problematic subgroups.  However, it is available to all children based on their desire to remain in a structured learning environment for at least one hour before/after school.
   
   The program focuses on providing assistance to students in the areas of English Language Arts and mathematics as well as assisting students with homework.  Additional special education staff accommodates the growing numbers of students with disabilities and helps create programs appropriate to the specific needs of these children.
    
2. Technology-based alternative learning programs targeting failing eighth and ninth grade students in Schenectady middle and high schools are now available.
   
   These programs provide students with an opportunity to recover credit lost due to previous course failures.  These students are permitted to accelerate their learning using an alternative instructional delivery system.  It utilizes a web-based PLATO Learning Software program aligned with New York State Standards.
   
   The staff serves as facilitators of learning rather than as direct instructors and intervenes and remediates as necessary to ensure successful recovery of lost credit and to accelerate learning.
   
   The goal is to provide students who have difficulty learning in a traditional education setting and to provide them with the tools and strategies that they need so they can meet or exceed grade level expectations of their cohort and graduate successfully.