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Dear Colleagues,
I hope your year has gotten off to a great start.
At the New York State Education Department (NYSED), the new year began with some good news.
Last week, NYSED announced that the United States Department of Education (USDE)
approved New York's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan
. The Board of Regents approved the plan at its September 2017 meeting, and the plan was submitted to the USDE on September 17, 2017 for review. Approval of this plan by USDE ensures that New York will continue to receive approximately $1.6 billion annually in funding from the Federal Government to support elementary and secondary education in New York State schools.
New York's ESSA plan reflects nearly two years of collaboration with a comprehensive group of stakeholders to develop an inclusive plan that ensures our core focus is on promoting equity and increasing the success of all students. Thank you to our numerous stakeholders and thought partners who worked to develop New York's plan.
The ESSA plan includes new accountability components that go beyond test scores and establishes a more well-rounded educational system.
We are pleased that USDE has approved the plan so that we can accelerate our efforts to implement these initiatives that are critical for educating students across the state. NYSED is developing guidance to help school districts implement the ESSA plan, proposing amendments to Commissioner's regulations, and working with the Executive & Legislature to support implementation.
This edition of News and Notes also includes information about the following:
Thank you for all you continue to do to help our students learn, grow, and succeed.
Sincerely,
MaryEllen Elia
Commissioner
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 NYSED Accepting Applications for Two New My Brother's Keeper Grant Programs
NYSED is now accepting applications for two new My Brother's Keeper (MBK) grants totaling $1 million: the MBK Fellows Program and MBK Native American Program. The MBK Fellows grants will provide leadership opportunities to high school juniors, with an emphasis on boys and young men of color. Approved MBK Community Networks are eligible to apply. Grants for the MBK Native American Program are intended to incentivize and support school districts to accept the My Brother's Keeper initiative and implement a coherent cradle-to-college/career strategy aimed at improving the life outcomes for disadvantaged Native Americans, with emphasis on boys and young men. For this program, NYSED will fund grants to eligible school districts partnered with New York State Tribal Nations. Grant applications for both programs are currently available online. The application deadline for both programs is February 16, 2018.
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NYSED Proposes More Flexibility in Meeting Safety Net Requirements for Teacher Certification
This week, NYSED proposed regulatory changes to eliminate the deadline by which teaching candidates must complete all other certification requirements to be eligible for the safety nets for the teacher certification examinations. The proposed amendment provides candidates with flexibility to complete all additional certification requirements at their own pace. Candidates must continue to take advantage of safety nets before their applicable expiration date(s). The public comment period on this amendment will be held February 7 through April 9.
Currently, the candidates are required to complete all other certification requirements prior to June 30, 2018 to be eligible for the safety nets for the edTPA, Educating All Students (EAS) exam, and revised Content Specialty Tests (CST). NYSED proposes to eliminate this requirement for candidates who use one or more safety nets.
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$1.4 Million in Grants Available to Support School Integration Efforts
Earlier this month, NYSED announced $1.4 million in grants are available to support school district efforts to pursue integrated schools and classrooms. The New York State Integration Program - Professional Learning Community ("NYSIP-PLC") Grants are intended to create school communities where all students have access to an equitable and high-quality education.
After the NYSIP-PLC grant is completed, participating districts will have the opportunity to apply for additional funds to pilot and fully implement plans developed in the training program.
Applications for the NYSIP-PLC grant are due by February 2, 2018. The grant application and the list of eligible school districts are available in our news release.
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Board of Regents Accepts Two Grants for NYSED Priorities
The New York State Board of Regents this week accepted grants from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and the New York Community Trust. The $200,000 grant from JPMorgan will support NYSED's effort to grow high-quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, particularly in parts of the State where few programs currently exist. The $160,000 grant from the New York Community Trust will allow NYSED to develop resources and trainings for districts to help them adopt culturally responsive pedagogy and practices. Both grants were awarded to the University of the State of New York (USNY) Regents Research Fund (the Fund), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that engages in educational, cultural, and historical research and other related scholarships and projects for NYSED.
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Career Opportunities and In-demand Jobs
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NYSED is collaborating with the New York State Department of Labor to ensure that school districts, parents, and students are well-informed about existing and anticipated career opportunities and in-demand jobs. As outlined in recent legislation, our agencies will now deliver pertinent labor market information on a bi-monthly basis.
The following information will help inform your schools and students about the skills and experiences necessary for future careers and the educational paths necessary to secure those career opportunities:
- Current Job Openings: This link leads to the Department of Labor's most up-to-date listing of current job openings in each of New York's 10 regions. You can view your region, see which industries are growing, and discover what jobs are available within each industry sector.
- Forward Facing Employment Data: Otherwise known as occupational employment projections, with this link you can view statewide and regional short-term (2-year) and long-term (10-year) growth outlooks for more than 700 job titles. You can also explore average wages and common education and training requirements.
- Additional Resource - CareerZone: The Department of Labor's CareerZone feature offers young people the opportunity to perform a self-assessment and access resources that can help them explore the careers about which they're most interested. They can learn what education is required to enter those fields, where jobs are located, what the career entails, and many other useful facts about each occupation.
- Additional Resource - Youth Portal: The Department of Labor's Youth Portal offers young people aged 14 to 24 resources to help them prepare for an interview, write a resume, project a positive digital presence, and manage personal finances, among other topics. There's also information for parents who wish to help their children understand and explore career choices as early as elementary school.
If you have any questions about the information outlined above, please contact your Regional Labor Market Analyst. The Analysts play a key role in turning labor market data into labor market intelligence.
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Understanding the Opioid Epidemic
WNED-TV's
Understanding the Opioid Epidemic
is a one-hour documentary that traces the causes behind the unprecedented growth in the use of prescription opioids and the devastating impact these drugs are having in every part of America. The documentary aired on PBS stations January 17.
Classroom curriculum is available to
accompany the television program. The lessons are intended for students in grades 7-8 but include ideas for adapting for use with students in grades 9-12. Lesson content is based on the documentary and other important themes such as misperceptions about opioid safety, community awareness, brain science, stigma, and the struggles associated with treatment and recovery. Lessons are aligned to National Health Education Standards.
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GPS for Success
GPS for Success is a new multi-platform website that students and adults can use to learn about career opportunities, income potential, and education/training requirements. The website features 16 "career clusters" that have been identified nationally and regionally as experiencing a shortage of skilled workers entering the workforce. GPS for Success showcases occupations and industries within each career cluster and the knowledge and skills they require. The website is a helpful resource for school districts that provide career planning help for students. GPS for Success was developed by WPBS-DT, Watertown Public Media, and presented by the Northern New York Community Foundation in collaboration with the Jefferson/Lewis & St. Lawrence/Lewis BOCES.
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