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Expanding Access to Advanced Coursework

The New York State Education Department is committed to increasing equity in educational experiences, including equity in access to advanced courses.  It is the Department’s belief that all New York State students should have the ability to pursue advanced coursework if they are committed to that path.

Notification of Advanced Coursework

To ensure students and families understand the benefits and opportunities for advanced coursework, all New York State school districts and charter schools must provide annual notification of advanced coursework to parents and students electronically or by mail. This information must also be posted on the school district or charter school’s website.

Parents and students must receive this notification annually by June 1. Notification must be provided to all students in every grade beginning either in grade 5 or one grade prior to the first year that advanced coursework is offered by the school or district, whichever comes first.

The notification must include the benefits of participating in advanced courses and a description of:

  • the advanced courses offered in middle and high school and how to prepare for and enroll in such courses,
  • the advanced courses to be offered in the following school year, and
  • the academic and non-academic support the school district or charter school provides to help students succeed in such courses, including any financial assistance available to reduce or eliminate any associated costs.

Additional information can be referenced in the Student and Parent Notification of Advanced Coursework memo.

Resources

Template for Notification of Advanced Coursework

Notification of Advanced Coursework Template

Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Why is the NYS Education Department requiring notification of advanced coursework?

On September 7, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Chapter 355 of the Laws of 2023 requiring that each New York State school district and charter school provide notification of the benefits and opportunities of participating in advanced courses.

  1. How does the NYS Education Department define advanced coursework?

Advanced coursework means any middle, high school, or college level honors, gifted, accelerated, advanced placement, international baccalaureate, dual-enrollment, or concurrent-enrollment course, or a course which would offer the ability for a student to earn college credit and/or an industry-recognized certification.

  1. Must annual notification be provided to parents of students at all grade levels, P-12?

Notification must be provided to all students in every grade beginning either in either in grade 5 or one grade prior to the first year that advanced coursework is offered by the school or district, whichever comes first. Parents and students must receive this notification annually by June 1.

Information related to opportunities for advanced coursework must also be posted on the school district or charter school’s website.

  1. If a school district posts information related to advanced coursework on the district’s website, is annual notification to parents still required?

Yes. To ensure students and families understand the benefits and opportunities for advanced coursework, all New York State school districts and charter schools must provide annual notification of advanced coursework to parents and students electronically or by mail. This information must also be posted on the school district or charter school’s website.

  1. Is there a template our district can use to draft the notification for parents and students?

Yes, the Notification of Advanced Coursework template may be used by school districts and charter schools.

Additional questions may be referred to the Office of Standards and Instruction via email to P12StandardsInstruction@nysed.gov or by calling (518) 474-5922.