Sharon L. Contreras

Sharon L. Contreras is Superintendent of Schools of the Syracuse City School District, in Syracuse, New York. She was appointed by the school board on March 16, 2011, following a national search. Her term of office commenced on July 1, 2011.^[3]

Education

Contreras earned bachelor's and master's degrees in English literature from Binghamton University, where she also earned a master's degree in English Education. In 1996, she earned a third master's degree in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she has also completed work toward a doctorate in educational leadership and policy.^[4]

Early career

Contreras became a principal at age 27, in the Rockford Public Schools in Rockford, Illinois, the district where she started her career as a high school English teacher. She later served as a central administrator for the district.

Contreras' prior positions include:^[4]

• Chief Academic Officer, Providence, Rhode Island school district, 2007-2011
• Chief Academic Officer, Clayton County, Georgia school district, 2004-2007^[5]
• Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, Rockford, Illinois school district
• Principal, Lewis Lemon Global Studies Academy magnet school, Rockford, Illinois
• High school English teacher and Curriculum Specialist, Rockford, Illinois

Syracuse superintendency

With an initial three-year contract, Contreras became Superintendent of Schools in July 2011.^[3] In 2012, her contract was extended through 2016.^[6] Upon becoming Superintendent, Contreras took over a district with a graduation rate under fifty percent,^[7] a dropout rate of nearly thirty percent,^[8] a high and dramatically increasing poverty rate,^[9] and hundreds fewer positions due to significant budget cuts in each of the two years^{[10][11][12][13]} before her start. When the State Education Department identified the lowest performing schools in the state, nearly every one of Syracuse's public schools was in the lowest-performing fifteen percent of schools.^[14] Contrereas led the development of a 5-year strategic plan to improve the schools by providing all students with equitable access to rigorous curriculum, investing in teachers and leaders, developing systems to support student success, building a district culture based on high expectations, and improving communication.^[15]

New schools, programs, and facilities

The New York State Education Department required that several historically low-performing schools be restructured due to their consistently poor test scores, graduation rates and learning environments. With Board of Education support, Contreras avoided closing the schools altogether by developing plans to phase out the underperforming schools while phasing in new, innovative schools.^[16] The following new schools were opened in the fall of 2014:

• Delaware Primary School, a neighborhood elementary school with a bilingual Spanish/English immersion program^[17]
• Public Service Leadership Academy @ Fowler, an open enrollment high school of choice providing multiple career and technical education/vocational education pathways^[18][19]
• Syracuse Latin School for the Gifted, a selective admissions elementary school offering a classical education curriculum^[20]

Contreras expanded CTE and STEM fields programs^[21] by partnering with Syracuse University, the State University of New York's Onondaga Community College, Le Moyne College and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Syracuse developed a dozen new CTE pathways in areas including computer forensics, cybersecurity, law enforcement, geospatial intelligence, and nursing.^[22] This expansion was driven by a report^[23] by a Blue Ribbon Task Force commissioned by the Superintendent with a goal of ensuring students have multiple authentic opportunities for access to 21st Century STEM fields, emerging technology opportunities, and other professions and trades.

Under Contreras, the district completed construction projects in which four schools were completely renovated at a cost of roughly $150 million.^[24][25] Three schools were completed on time; project costs were under budget; two schools achieved LEED Silver certification; one school won an American Institute of Architects (AIA) design award; and the overall project exceeded all Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise and EEO goals. In partnership with Syracuse, New York Mayor Stephanie Miner and the legislative delegation, Contreras secured the passage of enabling legislation another phase of construction in which up to $300 million will be used for school renovations.^[26]

Improved student discipline practices

Contreras led an overhaul of the district's Code of Conduct^[27] through a year-long, community-driven process^[28] as part of a strategy, including a groundbreaking agreement with the New York State Office of the Attorney General,^[29] to correct historical overuse and disproportionate use of suspension.^[30] Other school districts, including the New York City Department of Education,^[31] later announced similar changes to student discipline practices.

In March 2015, Contreras served as a panelist for a Congressional briefing: “From the Police Precinct to the Principal’s Office: The Challenges Facing School Districts One Year After the Release of Federal School Discipline Guidance.”^[32][33] The panel explored the on-the-ground efforts to reform discipline practices and the challenges facing school districts as they try to improve school climates.

Rising graduation rates and falling dropout rates

By the 2013-2014 school year, the district's graduation rates had passed 50 percent (51.1%) for the first time ever, and the rate as of August reached a new peak of 56 percent.^[34]

The dropout rate decreased to 16.5% for the 2013-2014 school year, down from 25.8% two years before and representing the fourth consecutive annual decrease in the dropout rate.^[35]

Meanwhile, the district was recognized as one of the most effective large school districts in the nation for feeding its students, offering free breakfast and lunch to all students.^[36][37]

Community and labor relations and partnerships

Contreras worked closely with the teachers union to develop plans for turning around the lowest-performing schools, successfully negotiating an agreement to extend the day for students by at least 180 hours per year in seven schools in 2013 while winning the largest competitive grant (over $30 million) in the district's history;^[38] five more schools extended student learning time in 2014.^[39] Contreras established an Innovation Zone made up of and serving the lowest-performing schools.^[40][41]

To broaden the educational experiences during extended school days, Contreras established new partnerships with community organizations to provide enrichment to students; these partners included Syracuse University, the Museum of Science and Technology, Redhouse Arts Center, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Baltimore Woods Nature Center, Syracuse Stage, Peaceful Schools, Catholic Charities and Contact Community Services.^[42]

Perceived as too closely aligned with New York State Education Commissioner John King, Jr., against whom the state teachers union had approved a vote of no confidence in April 2014, Contreras faced a vote of no confidence from the Syracuse Teachers Association in June of the same year. Contreras pledged to continue working together with all school stakeholders. Meanwhile, the union vote was questioned and criticized by many local community leaders^[43][44]

Often in collaboration with the teachers and administrators unions, Contreras won multiple competitive grant awards from the state and federal education departments to turn around low-performing schools,^[45] train new leaders,^[46] and expand teacher and principal leadership opportunities.^[47][48][49] She created a Peer Observation program and expanded the number of teachers served by the Peer Assistance and Review program,^[50] a district-union collaboration.

References

External links

• Superindendant Contreras's Biography, Syracuse City School District website
• "Sharon Contreras: The Broad Superindendents Academy Class of 2010," The Broad Center, Los Angeles, California
• Griffin-Nolan, Ed. (2012, April 11). "Learning Curve: Nearly a Year Into the Job, Syracuse School District Superintendent Sharon Contreras Stays Upbeat..." Syracuse New Times
• "Syracuse Leading the Way on Reform in New York" National Center on Time & Learning
• "Raising the standard in Syracuse schools... Sharon Contreras" Syracuse Woman Magazine
• "Women and girls: Grown-ups share their wisdom with teens" Central New York Magazine