The Syracuse City School Board could soon develop a policy requiring new school district hires to live within city limits. Syracuse Common Councilors passed a resolution today that asks the School Board to create and enact such a residency policy. The measure was sponsored by Councilor Susan Boyle, who hopes to build on a similar resolution from 2006.
“For the last ten years we’ve only achieved over 50 percent residency in three categories and they happen to be the three lowest-paying categories in the district, and as you go up the payroll scale to the higher-paying positions, the statistics get even lower.”
Boyle says now it’s up to the School Board to develop and implement a policy encouraging teachers to work within the district. Board President Derrick Dorsey is optimistic about reaching agreement on a residency policy.
“Can you imagine the benefits of having our high-level folks for the Syracuse City School District staying in the city of Syracuse – that would be great, right? As elected officials we’re required to stay where we serve, but again, it’s nothing that we can do alone. We definitely have to have conversations with the union.
Dorsey anticipates discussions with unions and other board members will likely center on potential benefits, including an increased tax base, and possible challenges with a residency policy.
“When we have a district of 21,000 students sometime we’re looking at over 50 hires in the cycle, where people retire, people moving on to better jobs – and do you want to reduce your candidate pool? That’s something that you don’t want to do.”
Dorsey says more information will be available to the public after the School Board discusses the residency policy at an executive session on March 8th.
