News and Notes

February 2023

As Black History Month comes to a close, it is a time to renew our ongoing celebration of the rich history, culture, and contributions of the African American community to the fabric of our shared experience as New Yorkers. As part of this observance, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) has curated educational resources, including online and in-person programs through the New York State Museum and the New York State Library, social media campaigns, as well as providing programming recommendations from the Office of New York State Public Broadcasting.

To further commemorate Black History Month, NYSED and The Education Trust-New York highlighted students who participate in the New York State My Brother’s Keeper program on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn). The #MyHistoryMyFuture campaign features inspiring quotes from outstanding students who share how the MBK program has changed their lives and their hopes and dreams for the future. We also featured artwork from the New York State Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Art & Essay Exhibit using the hashtags #NYSMLK and #StudentsExhibitingMLK.

Honoring the spirit of the West-African proverb of Sankofa, Black History Month is a time for all New Yorkers to look back at our history so we can move forward together creating a brighter future for all children.

Sincerely,

Betty A. Rosa

Commissioner

NYSED recently proposed the creation of the Indigenous Culture and Language Studies (All Grades) certificate for teachers. If established, the new certification area would increase the capacity and number of teachers who can teach indigenous cultures and languages while increasing the awareness, knowledge, and appreciation for indigenous peoples.

This past month, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Newsletter said, “[i]t is a shared goal with the NYSED to create tenured teaching positions for Indigenous language instructors in public schools across the State.”

The Department will accept public comment on the proposal through May 1 and is conducting ongoing consultation with Indigenous Nations regarding these proposed regulations.

The New York State Library announced its upcoming programming for March, including various webinars, events, and onsite genealogy walking tours. Among these offerings, in observance of Women’s History Month, is a series about “How Women Won the Vote,” about the women’s suffrage movement.

For a complete list of upcoming programs, including webinars, events, and onsite genealogy walking tours, visit the New York State Library website.

The New York State Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures invites you to respond to a new ThoughtExchange question:

Foundational skills, like initiative, time management, and collaboration, are shown to prepare students for school, college, career, civic engagement, and life, and are priorities of the business world. How can these skills be fostered and encouraged in K-12 education?

Participate in the discussion via ThoughtExchange.

The deadline to respond is March 17, 2023. Thank you for your participation!

NYSED recently released graduation data for 2018 Cohort students, who are those students that graduated by August 2022.

For more specific data points and for school- and district-level graduation data, visit the Department’s public data site.

A PowerPoint presentation with a summary of the data is also available.

Commissioner Rosa recently testified at the joint legislative budget hearing on elementary and secondary education and at the joint legislative budget hearing on higher education.

The Commissioner's submitted written testimony is available here:

• P-12 Education
• Higher Education

The New York State Technical and Educational Assistance Center for Homeless Students has published 2021-22 School Year Data on Students Experiencing Homelessness in New York State.

The data can be accessed on the NYS TEACHS website.

NYSED is accepting applications for the 2023 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Last year, 470 sponsoring organizations served meals at more than 2,500 locations across the state to young people in need.

Potential new sponsors may request a sponsor application and obtain additional information on NYSED's SFSP website.

NYSED has issued a funding opportunity announcement for the 2023-2030 NYS Pathways in Technology Early College High School (NYS P-TECH) Program. The NYS P-TECH Program will prepare thousands of New York students for the future by preparing them for high-skilled jobs in the fields of technology and manufacturing. NYS P-TECH incorporates an integrated program between 4 and 6 years in duration that combines high school, college, and career training. 

Applications must be received by March 31, 2023. For additional information, please review the full Request for Proposals (RFP) document.

NYSED will host an ARP ESSER Sustainability and Support webinar series focused on providing guidance, resources, and technical assistance to LEAs. Each session will provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions.

Registration access and deadlines can be found on NYSED's ARP ESSER website. Questions related to the info sessions can be directed to ARPHELP@nysed.gov.

The Office of Early Learning will provide a series of fiscal guidance webinars for prekindergarten. The first webinar will be on FS-10A budget amendments for UPK/SUFDPK. The webinar will be held via Zoom on March 1, 2023, from 3:30-4:00 PM and will be recorded for future viewing. Any questions can be directed to the Office of Early Learning at oel@nysed.gov. 

Register for the prekindergarten fiscal guidance webinar here.

The application to offer the Individual Arts Assessment Graduation Pathway (IAAP) is now available for all districts, schools, and BOCES in the SED Monitoring and Vendor Performance System located within the Application Business Portal.  

Schools that wish to offer this pathway beginning in the 2023-2024 school year must complete this initial application by August 1, 2023. Schools will be notified of their status on a rolling basis.

For more information on the Individual Arts Assessment Pathway, please visit the Office of Standards and Instruction’s Individual Arts Assessment Pathway webpage.

Please contact the Office of Standards and Instruction at 518-474-5922 or via email at emscurric@nysed.gov if you have any questions.

NYSED's Office of Student Support Services and the New York State Center for School Safety are conducting a FREE, two-day, in-person school safety summit at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, NY.

The summit will provide training, information, and resources on topics related to Emergency Response Plan development and implementation, and sessions designed to help create safe and supportive learning environments for the whole school community.  

Register for the School Safety Summit here.

Questions may be directed to SafetyPlans@nysed.gov.

The New York State Office of Mental Health has announced Statewide virtual and in-person opportunities for all New Yorkers, including youth, to provide input that will contribute to expanding, strengthening, and revitalizing the State’s mental healthcare system.

For dates and registration information, please review the announcement of community engagement feedback sessions.

Please send questions to Planning@omh.ny.gov.