Building a Coordinated, Equitable Out of School Time System - Ensuring Opportunities for Rochester's Youth
How to increase equity within and accessibility of out-of-school time (OST) programs for youth was the focus of a 2-year project that CGR, in partnership with RAND Corp., conducted for the Greater Rochester Afterschool & Summer Alliance (GRASA). The project included a local and national scan of OST systems, and a...
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Public Funding for Charter Schools - An Analysis for Rochester
CGR was engaged by Geoffrey Rosenberger to analyze public funding for charter schools in hopes of comparing total levels with funding for traditional public schools. We interviewed school officials and reviewed documents from one new Rochester charter school (the Academy for Health Sciences, which opened this academic year) and a...
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Step to College Evaluation Plan: A Multidimensional Approach
CGR completed an evaluation plan for East High School’s Step to College Program, an initiative to increase college preparation, matriculation and graduation of students. The evaluation plan included a revised theory of change and logic model, evaluation questions, measurement framework, and evaluation approaches and methods. The evaluation plan will...
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Bloomsburg University - Economic and Community Impact
Bloomsburg University is central to the Bloomsburg MSA economy. Employing 1,070 FTEs directly, it is the second largest employer in the region after Geisinger Health System. Using detailed data provided by Bloomsburg University, CGR estimated the impact of BU employee, operational, construction and student spending on the local and...
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The Difference a Diploma Makes - Impact Assessment for an Excel Center High School in Monroe County
CGR was engaged by Goodwill of the Finger Lakes to assess the potential benefits of a tuition-free high school and career acceleration center that would serve adults who dropped out and now wish to complete their education. Specifically, Goodwill is proposing a demonstration project for an Excel Center, a model...
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School #17 Strategic Plan - Developing an Implementation Plan for a Community School
Receivership and Community Schools: In summer 2015, a new New York State Education Law was enacted pertaining to School Receivership to give greater autonomy and resources to chronically underperforming schools. CGR was engaged by the Farash Foundation to help a pre-K through 8th grade school in Rochester, NY...
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West Central Educational Service Center - Assessment of a Merger
Educational service centers in rural Ohio sought CGR’s assistance to explore merger. Changes in Ohio state law have changed the competitive climate for what were originally county-level entities. Created to serve individual county school districts, the state eliminated their exclusive franchise. Smaller ESCs have struggled to be responsive to member...
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Gates Chili Schools - Redistricting Elementary Attendance Zones
Gates-Chili School District in suburban Rochester confronted a problem that recurs among most school districts: The attendance boundaries for its 4 school buildings no longer matched the capacities of the individual schools. CGR was engaged to advise the district on the boundaries, measure the impact on the demographics of the...
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The Context for Assessing the Role of Charter Schools
The Farash Foundation, considering providing support for charter schools in the Rochester NY region, asked CGR for a brief background overview. CGR’s report summarizes the arguments supporting and opposing charter schools; recounts the history of charter school development in the nation, NYS, and Rochester; and cites recent studies of charter...
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Rochester's Communities and their Public Libraries - 2012 and Beyond
To provide the foundation for the Rochester NY Public Library’s strategic planning process for 10 community branches, CGR documented how patrons use each branch. Key findings included: a) branches fill different roles in different locations and need flexibility to be responsive, b) since 1999 circulation was down but door count,...
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Strategic Options to Realign Resources for the Southeastern NY Library Resources Council
The strategic plan of the Southeastern New York Library Resource Council, one of 9 Reference and Research Library Resource Councils (3Rs) in the state, calls for streamlining services and leveraging limited resources for more effective support of member libraries. CGR examined the feasibility of formalizing shared services and/or consolidating with...
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OCM BOCES and Oswego County School Library Systems Merger Study: Merger Task Force Report
For two school library systems in NYS – Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES and Oswego BOCES – CGR helped explore the viability of pursuing a merged system. CGR studied the operations of the systems and facilitated meetings of a regional task force of library professionals, which recommended the boards pursue consolidation in order...
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What Supports 3rd Grade Reading in Rochester?
To support the launch in Rochester NY of a “cradle to career” initiative called ROC the Future, CGR documented the community supports that contribute to children reading on grade level by Grade 3, which the initiative targets as a critical indicator of children’s success in life. With funding from...
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Potential Opportunities and Actions for ROC the Future As heard by CGR and The Children's Agenda
To support the launch in Rochester NY of a “cradle to career” initiative called ROC the Future, CGR documented the community supports that contribute to children reading on grade level by Grade 3, which the initiative targets as a critical indicator of children’s success in life. With funding from...
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Ontario County Regional High Schools Feasibility Study: Options for Addressing Rising Costs and Shrinking Enrollment
Eight of the nine districts in Ontario County have decreasing enrollment, a trend that is projected to continue through the next decade. The districts agreed to explore how regional high schools and/or regional collaborations could save taxpayer dollars and expand educational opportunities. CGR presents several models and finds that...
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Read to Succeed Buffalo - Focusing and Aligning Resources
A Buffalo NY nonprofit at a crossroads turned to CGR to design and facilitate its strategic planning process. CGR involved board, staff and community stakeholders in the work of planning Read to Succeed’s future in a way that aligns staff’s day-to-day work with organizational mission. CGR deliverables included developing the...
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RCSD New Schools Evaluation: Year One
CGR completed an implementation evaluation of five secondary schools opened in the Rochester NY City School District in 2010-11. CGR found the schools have successfully established generally positive environments where students feel cared about and teachers are proud to work. Some academic outcomes are higher that the district as a...
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Economic Impact of Independent Colleges and Universities
New York's higher education sector - including world-renowned Columbia, New York and Cornell universities - has long been acknowledged as a center of scholarship and culture. Now higher education is being recognized for having an economic impact as well. CGR was engaged by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities...
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Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection Graduation Years 2007-2009
CGR conducted a study of the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection program for participants graduating in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Inquiries about CGR’s report should be directed to Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection at (585) 654-1600.
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The Impact of AmeriCorps Builds Lives through Education (ABLE): Getting Things Done for Buffalo
An evaluation of Western NY AmeriCorps’ ABLE program (AmeriCorps Builds Lives through Education) found evidence of a strong community impact on the Buffalo region. CGR’s evaluation, which included surveys, focus groups, interviews, site visits, and data analysis, met requirements of the Corporation for National & Community Service. CGR also provided...
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Feasibility of Creating a Central Business Office for Sullivan County BOCES and Component Districts
Faced with enrollment declines, increased operating expenses, and steep reductions in state aid, the Sullivan County (NY) BOCES engaged CGR to determine whether there are cost savings and efficiencies from combining business office functions for any of 7 participating school districts. CGR provides 4 models that give the districts...
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Opportunities for School District Savings in Nassau County
Through the impetus of County Executive Tom Suozzi, Nassau County set out to develop an action plan aimed at reducing the growth of property taxes. What distinguished this effort was the County’s focus on units of local government over which it had no direct control. Using a collaborative...
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Economic Impact of State University of New York: Downstate Medical Center - Contributions to the Brooklyn Community
CGR was engaged by SUNY Downstate Medical Center (SUNY-DMC) to estimate the economic impact of SUNY-DMC on Brooklyn, the surrounding areas and New York State. Direct effects are for Brooklyn, NYC, and NYS; Indirect and induced effects are based on the five boroughs of NYC, plus Nassau, Westchester, Rockland, Union,...
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Childhood Overweight Obesity Monroe County Elementary School Readiness
The Greater Rochester Health Foundation, formed in 2006, has identified elementary schools as key to addressing childhood overweight and obesity issues, and is seeking to promote strategies involving increased physical activity and improved nutrition. The foundation turned to CGR to conduct a multi-faceted survey of practices, policies and attitudes in...
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Access to Subsidized Child Care in Monroe County, NY
Between 2001 and early 2007 the average number of child care slots per month filled by Monroe County (NY) children receiving child care subsidies declined by about 38%, from about 13,575 to 8,400. The decline was fueled primarily by three factors: 1) Monroe County lowered the income eligibility rate from...
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Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection Evaluation Performance Assessment: 2006 Update and Future Implications
The Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, established in 1987, works with at-risk students in the Rochester and Syracuse NY public school districts, with the goal of keeping students in school through graduation. Recently, with support from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, CGR completed its third assessment of the program. In the latest...
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Technology Needs Assessment Preparing for Tech Valley Occupations in the School Districts of the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES
New York's Tech Valley cuts across 19 counties in the state's northeast quadrant, and a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and its 31 component school districts asked CGR to help them identify how best to prepare students for future high tech jobs.
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Buffalo Literacy Campaign Focus Groups with Target Populations
For a Buffalo, NY coalition that is working to bring about systemic changes in the way literacy services are provided in the city, CGR conducted focus groups with target populations.
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City of Buffalo Literacy Needs Assessment
A coalition of more than 40 groups is engaged in bringing about systemic changes in the way literacy services are provided in Buffalo, NY, and called upon CGR to conduct a citywide needs assessment.
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Feasibility of Creating a Central Business Office in the Schuyler-Chemung-Tioga BOCES Region
CGR recommended the creation of a central business office among the districts within the Schuyler-Chemung-Tioga BOCES district. Centralization would save more than $434,000 a year, or 55 percent of current expenses. It would also expand safeguards protecting against accounting problems, improve management and integrity of fiscal information, and expand access...
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Thinking Beyond Boundaries: Opportunities to Use Regional and Local Strategies to Strengthen Public Education in the Broome-Tioga Region
CGR conducted a major study for the 15 school districts in NY’s Broome-Tioga BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) that evaluated opportunities for reducing costs and improving services by sharing services, consolidating districts or merging. The study, completed in 2004, identified a large number of opportunities for the...
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The Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection: Charting a Course for the Future
CGR evaluated the Work-Scholarship Connection, which was established to help youth at risk of dropping out of school succeed academically. The program provides its students with youth advocates, a range of support services, enrichment workshops and, for some, part-time job opportunities and worksite mentors. The Work-Scholarship Connection currently...
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Evaluating Service Learning at RIT: Students Working with Neighbors Building Neighborhoods: A Summary of Evaluation Findings
CGR was engaged by RIT to help design and evaluate the impact of renovations of a portion of the University course curriculum developed to focus more on hands-on learning for students in a community-based “learn and serve” environment.
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Propelling Rochester's 21st Century Economy - The Economic Impact of RIT
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a major contributor to the Rochester and NYS economies. CGR worked closely with RIT staff to gather data from the full array of RIT programs, capturing the impact of RIT purchases, staff and student spending, visitor spending, grant receipts and other financial impacts,...
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RIT Climate Study - Perceptions of Faculty, Students and Staff - April 2003
In its continuing efforts to improve all aspects of campus life, RIT is striving to become a more racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse university. As part of that process, RIT engaged CGR to conduct an objective baseline assessment of how faculty, staff, and students perceive the current campus environment....
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After-School Inventory - Results of Monroe County After-School Provider Survey - June 2002
The Greater Rochester After-School Alliance commissioned CGR to conduct the first comprehensive survey of after-school providers throughout Monroe County. The survey focused on understanding the organizational climate of these programs, location, characteristics of those served, staffing issues, activities provided, and impact on children served. Completed responses were obtained...
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Barriers to School District Reorganization and Service Sharing in New York State
In an attempt to systematically identify and better understand the barriers or obstacles to school district reorganization in New York, the State Education Department hired CGR to analyze factors that influence school district decisions to consider reorganization; perceived barriers to reorganization and strategies used to overcome them; and the impact...
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