Utica City School District

{{short description|School district in the U.S. state of New York}}

{{Infobox school district

|name = Utica City School District

|logo = Utica_School_Logo.png

|motto = Excellence, Diversity, Achievement

|type = Public

|grades = Kindergarten through 12

|region = Mohawk Valley

|country = United States

|location = Utica, New York

|coordinates = {{Coord|43|05|14|N|75|15|10|W|type:edu_region:US-NY|name=Example School District office|display=inline,title}}

|superintendent =

|schools = Elementary 10
Middle 2
High 1

|students = 9,679 (2020-2021)

|budget = $204,516,000 (2018-2019)

|ratio = 14:1

|teachers = 692.52

|us_nces_district_id = {{NCES District ID|3629370|district_name=Utica City School District|access_date=2022-04-02}}.

| district_id = NY-412300010000

|schedule = M-F except state holidays

|mascot = Raiders

|colors = Red, Black, White and Silver {{Color box|Red|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|Black|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|Silver|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|White|border=darkgray}}

|website = {{official website|uticaschools.org}}

}}

The Utica City School District is a public school district with boundaries coterminous with those of the city of Utica, New York, United States.{{cite web|last=DiNapoli|first=Thomas P.|url=https://www.osc.ny.gov/files/local-government/audits/2017-11/lgsa-audit-school-2014-utica.pdf|title=Utica City School District Financial Condition Report of Examination Period Covered: July 1, 2011 — March 31, 2013 2013M-341|publisher=Office of the New York State Comptroller|access-date=2024-12-27|page=3 (PDF p. 4/15)|quote=The Utica City School District (District) is a small city school district whose boundaries are the same as the City of Utica (City) in Oneida County.}}
See also: {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st36_ny/schooldistrict_maps/c36065_oneida/DC20SD_C36065.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oneida County, NY|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=2024-12-27}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st36_ny/schooldistrict_maps/c36065_oneida/DC20SD_C36065_SD2MS.txt Text list] It is a highly diverse urban district, having 69% racial minority students and 17% students who are English language learners in 2017.{{Cite web |title=Civil Rights Data Collection |url=https://ocrdata.ed.gov/profile/9/district/29041/summary |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=ocrdata.ed.gov}} It is part of Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES and the Conference of Big 5 School Districts, a conference of the largest urban school districts in New York State.{{Cite web |title=About Us - Big 5 School Districts |url=https://big5schools.org/about-us |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=big5schools.org}}

History

In 2010, the two Utica schools Proctor High School and Donovan Middle School were evaluated for restructuring by the state Department of Education in response to consistent underperformance.{{Cite web |last=BADER |first=DANIEL P. |title=State: Donovan, Proctor must restructure to improve performance |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/education/2010/12/17/state-donovan-proctor-must-restructure/44776111007/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US}}

The Utica City School District was party to the case Maisto v. State of New York, also called the "small cities" case, with seven other districts in the state. This suit alleged that the state's Foundation Aid formula, which was initiated in 2007 but frozen in the 2009–10 legislative session and cut in the 2010–2011 session, did not provide adequate funding to provide a basic education to students in these districts.{{Cite web |title=Maisto ("Small Cities") Overview |url=https://edlawcenter.org/litigation/maisto-overview/ |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=Education Law Center |archive-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901223803/https://edlawcenter.org/litigation/maisto-overview/ |url-status=live }} In 2021, on appeal, the Supreme Court of New York ordered the state to revise its funding to adequately provide for these districts. State aid accounted for about 80% of the Utica City School District budget in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Amy Neff |title=How close are the Utica schools to getting millions more in state aid? |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2021/08/25/utica-schools-state-money-maisto-lawsuit/5578223001/ |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US |date=2021-08-25 |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401010221/https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2021/08/25/utica-schools-state-money-maisto-lawsuit/5578223001/ |url-status=live }}

In 2013 the Utica Academy of Science charter school, run by the same group as the Syracuse Academy of Science, was established. The UAS diverted a few million dollars in state funding from UCSD's budget.{{Cite web |last=BADER |first=DANIEL P. |title=Utica charter schools: The new kids in class |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2012/03/12/utica-charter-schools-new-kids/44818072007/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2012-03-12}} A second charter school was denied permission in part due to concerns over further reducing the UCSD budget.{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=Charter schools: Is 2 too many? In tough fiscal times, some question wisdom of another facility |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/education/2014/02/11/charter-schools-is-2-too/39243995007/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2014-02-11}}{{Cite web |date=2014-05-08 |title=Charter school application sparks debate in Utica |url=https://www.wrvo.org/education/2014-05-08/charter-school-application-sparks-debate-in-utica |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=WRVO Public Media |language=en}}

In 2016, the border between the Utica City School District and New Hartford Central School District was identified by the non-profit EdBuild as the 12th most segregating school district border in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Alissa |title=Utica-New Hartford school border named one of most segregated in U.S. |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/education/2016/10/10/utica-new-hartford-school-border/25231513007/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Fault Lines: America's Most Segregating School District Borders |url=http://edbuild.org/content/fault-lines |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=EdBuild |language=en}}

In December of 2022, superintendent Bruce Karam was placed on administrative leave by the Board of Education following complaints from two district employees. A legal battle between Karam and the board followed.{{Cite web |last=Jaquays |first=Mike |date=2023-08-28 |title=District claims suspended superintendent's contract is void |url=https://www.romesentinel.com/news/district-claims-suspended-superintendents-contract-is-void/article_34e191e2-45a4-11ee-8323-0321e4b7938d.html |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Rome Sentinel |language=en}} On November 21 2023, Karam was indicted by a grand jury on five charges of grand larceny and corruption. Louis LaPolla, who was Mayor of Utica from 1984 to 1995 and president of the school board from 2018 to 2022, was also indicted. Karam was accused of using district resources to mail campaign literature in support of his favored school board candidates, as well as invitations to a fundraiser for a scholarship fund run by LaPolla.{{Cite web |title=Why were Utica Superintendent Bruce Karam and former Mayor Louis LaPolla arrested? |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2023/11/21/utica-school-superintendent-karam-former-mayor-lapolla-arrested/71668167007/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2023-11-21|first=Amy Neff|last=Roth}}{{Cite web |title=Utica school board pledges accountability, transparency after Superintendent Karam arrest |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2023/11/22/utica-school-board-special-meeting-superintendent-bruce-karam-arrested/71675372007/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|first=Amy Neff|last=Roth|date=2023-11-22}} LaPolla also faces federal mail fraud charges alleging he stole $38,000 intended for the scholarship fund.{{Cite web |title=What the federal indictment says about the charges against former Utica mayor LaPolla |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2023/09/27/former-utica-mayor-louis-lapolla-indicted-details-of-mail-fraud-case/70978181007/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2023-09-27|first=Amy Neff|last=Roth}} On November 27, the school board voted to immediately terminate Karam's employment.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-27 |title=Longtime Utica Superintendent Bruce Karam Fired, 'Marking a Significant and Necessary Step for the District,' BOE Says |url=https://www.wktv.com/news/education/longtime-utica-superintendent-bruce-karam-fired-marking-a-significant-and-necessary-step-for-the-district/article_b7fbb4fe-8d70-11ee-bc83-3721ab9cc008.html |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=WKTV NewsChannel2 |language=en}} LaPolla accepted a plea deal, and pled guilty to petty larceny on February 22, 2024.{{Cite web |title=Former Utica mayor, school board president Louis Lapolla takes plea in county court |url=https://www.uticaod.com/story/news/2024/02/22/former-utica-mayor-louis-lapolla-pleads-guilty-to-petit-larceny/72694686007/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=Utica Observer Dispatch |language=en-US|date=2024-02-22|first=Amy Neff |last=Roth}} Karam pled guilty to charges of public corruption on March 8, and was sentenced to pay restitution and a reduction of his pension benefits.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-08 |title=Former Utica City Schools Superintendent pleads guilty to public corruption charges |url=https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/karam-pleads-guilty-to-public-corruption-charges/ |access-date=2024-03-08 |website=WSYR |language=en-US}}

= Refugee student lawsuit =

In 2015, the Utica City School District was the subject of two lawsuits pertaining to its treatment of refugee students. Both suits were the result of a statewide review of compliance with Plyler v. Doe, which prevents schools from asking about the immigration status of students. The first suit was filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of six refugee students, and the second by the Attorney General of New York. Both suits alleged that refugee students older than 16 who were perceived to have poor language skills were denied enrollment at Proctor High School. They were instead diverted into weaker alternative programs that focused solely on English as a foreign language and did not lead to a diploma or adequately prepare for a high school equivalency exam. Students in these programs were allegedly segregated from other students and not allowed to mix with their peers for lunch or extracurricular activities.{{Cite news|last=Mueller|first=Benjamin|date=2015-04-24|title=Advocates Sue a New York School District, Claiming Weak Programs for Refugees|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/nyregion/advocates-sue-new-york-school-district-claiming-weak-programs-for-refugees.html|access-date=2022-01-21|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121022228/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/nyregion/advocates-sue-new-york-school-district-claiming-weak-programs-for-refugees.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Mueller|first=Benjamin|date=2015-11-18|title=New York State Accuses Utica School District of Bias Against Refugees|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/nyregion/new-york-state-accuses-utica-school-district-of-bias-against-refugees.html|access-date=2022-01-21|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121022228/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/nyregion/new-york-state-accuses-utica-school-district-of-bias-against-refugees.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |title=Refugees Say N.Y. School District Blocked Them From Going To High School |language=en |work=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2016/03/01/468246903/refugees-say-n-y-school-district-blocked-them-from-going-to-high-school |access-date=2022-04-02|date=2016-03-01|first=Hansi Lo|last=Wang}}

These suits were settled in 2016. For the first suit, the district agreed to reach out to individual school-age refugees as well as refugee communities in Utica to notify them of their right to attend school. For the second suit, the district was required to revise its enrollment policies and hire internal and external compliance monitors. It also required the district to offer compensatory schooling for students whose admission was denied or delayed, and to raise the standards of future alternative programs. The district did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlements.{{Cite news|last=Harris|first=Elizabeth A.|date=2016-05-19|title=Utica Settles Lawsuit Over Refugees' Access to High School|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/20/nyregion/utica-settles-lawsuit-over-refugees-access-to-high-school.html|access-date=2022-01-21|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121022231/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/20/nyregion/utica-settles-lawsuit-over-refugees-access-to-high-school.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Chen|first=David W.|date=2016-07-21|title=Utica Settles State Claim Alleging Biased Enrollment for Refugee Students|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/22/nyregion/utica-settles-state-claim-alleging-biased-enrollment-for-refugee-students.html|access-date=2022-01-21|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121023430/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/22/nyregion/utica-settles-state-claim-alleging-biased-enrollment-for-refugee-students.html|url-status=live}}

Although Utica was the only district sued as a result of the state's review, a similar lawsuit was filed against the School District of Lancaster, Pennsylvania later in 2015, and similar incidents were reported elsewhere in the state and country.{{Cite book |last=Napolitano |first=Jo |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1232013808 |title=The school I deserve : six young refugees and their fight for equality in America |date=2021 |isbn=978-0-8070-2498-0 |location=Boston |oclc=1232013808}}{{Cite web |title=AP Exclusive: Migrant children kept from enrolling in school |url=https://apnews.com/article/b7f933ef6e054c2ca8e32bd9b477e9ab |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=AP NEWS |language=en|first=Garance|last=Burke|date=2016-05-02}}

Schools

=Elementary=

There are ten elementary schools in the district: Albany, Columbus, Conkling, General Herkimer, Hughes, Jefferson, Jones, Kernan, MLK (built in 1955 and dedicated on April 19, 1956), and Watson Williams (built in 1992).

=Middle=

The district's two middle schools are James H. Donovan Middle School, named for New York State Senator James H. Donovan, and John F. Kennedy Middle School (opened on September 8, 1965 and dedicated on December 1, 1965), named after the former president.

=High school=

Constructed in 1934 as a Works Progress Administration project, Thomas R. Proctor High School is the district's only high school, with 200 full-time teachers and 2,600 students. Utica Free Academy closed in 1990.

References

School District

Category:School districts in Oneida County, New York