Board Of Regents To Review New York State’s English Standards

The Board of Regents announced that it will review New York’s Learning Standards, beginning with the standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and English as a Second Language (ESL).

The Regents adopted the current standards in 1996. They cover the major subjects including:

English Language Arts,
mathematics, science, and technology,
social studies,
the arts,
languages other than English,
career development and occupational studies, and
health, physical education and family consumer sciences.

In conducting their review of the standards, the Regents will seek recommendations from teachers, school administrators, members of the higher education community, business and community leaders, parents, and other state and national experts in each of the content areas. They will also organize focus groups throughout the State that will be open to the public.

Comments and recommendations can be emailed to emscocis@mail.nysed.gov

In reviewing the English standards, the Regents will pay particular attention to the standards for early childhood, from birth to age 5.

The standards are critically important. They determine the curriculum content and State assessments, including grade 3-8 tests and the Regents Exams. The standards represent the core of what all students should know, understand and be able to demonstrate. Meeting the standards should ensure that students are prepared for college, work and citizenship.

To conduct the necessary work, Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett has appointed Regent Saul B. Cohen, President Emeritus of Queens College, as Chair of the Regents Steering Committee for Standards Review. Dr. Walter Sullivan, former school superintendent and currently Director of the Center for Educational Policy and Practice, is Coordinator of the standards review.

The standards review will be supported by State Education Department leadership and curriculum specialists, as well as by national educational advisory organizations.

The Regents Steering Committee consists of the following members:

Regent Saul B. Cohen (Chairperson)
Vice-Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch
Regent Charles R. Bendit
Regent Geraldine D. Chapey
Regent Milton L. Cofield
Regent Karen Brooks Hopkins
Regent Roger B. Tilles

Ms. Anne M. Byrne, Northeast Regional Director, New York State School Boards Association
Matthew T. Crosson, Esq., President, Long Island Association, Inc.
Dr. Sharon Dunn, Senior Instructional Manager for the Arts, New York City Department of Education
Dr. Howard Everson, Professor, Fordham University
Dr. Phyllis Glassman, Superintendent, Ossining Union Free School District
Ms. Marguerite D. Izzo, 2007 New York State Teacher of the Year
Mr. Donald Jacobs, Founder and Director, Center for Applied Technologies in Education, SUNY at Buffalo
Dr. Augusta Souza Kappner, President, Bank Street College
Dr. James T. Langlois, District Superintendent of Schools, Putnam-Northern Westchester BOCES
Dr. Pamela Mills, Associate Professor of Chemistry, CUNY, Hunter College
Ms. Maria Neira, Vice President, New York State United Teachers
Dr. Folasade Oladele, Chief Academic Officer of English Language Learning, Buffalo Public Schools
Dr. Kavita Pandit, Senior Vice Provost, SUNY System Administration
Mr. James Vitale, Principal, Clarkstown South Senior High School
Dr. Walter J. Sullivan, Director, Center for Educational Policy and Practice/Associate Professor The College of New Rochelle

Chancellor Robert M. Bennett and Regent Anthony S. Bottar are ex-officio members of the Steering Committee.

The English Language Arts standards will be reviewed by the ELA/ESL Content Panel, composed of the following members:

Dr. Bonne August, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, New York City College of Technology, CUNY
Stephen Bongiovi, Teacher of the Year 2006, Seaford High School
Ella Briand, ELA Coordinator, Syracuse City School District
Regent Saul B. Cohen
Regent Geraldine Chapey
Elizabeth F. Day, Teacher of the Year 2005, Mechanicville Middle School
Sandra Feinberg, Middle Country Library Director, Selden
Andrea Gabor, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Baruch College
John Harmon, Humanities Curriculum Coordinator, Skaneateles Central Schools
Dr. Kate Hathaway, Assistant Professor of Literacy, New Rochelle Graduate School
Dr. Kathleen A. Hinchman, Professor and Chair, Reading and Language Arts Center, Syracuse University
Estee Lopez, Director of Bilingual/ESL, New Rochelle City School District
Dr. Raymond Peterson, Principal and Project Director, Bard High School Early College, Brooklyn
Jacqueline Pryce-Harvey, Special Education teacher, 7th grade CTT at MS4, NYC
Mercedes Qualls, Principal, Humanities and Arts Magnet High School, Queens
Dr. Donna Scanlon, Associate Professor, University at Albany State University of New York Child Study and Research Center,
Elisabeth Sheffer, Assistant in Educational Services, NYSUT
Janet Smith-Hackshaw, Dr. Roland N. Patterson PS 203X, Bronx
Dr. Brenda Weaver, Assistant Professor of Education and Early Childhood Studies, Cazenovia College
Ximena E. Zate, TESOL Education Program Director, Stony Brook University.