Frequently Asked Questions Relating to Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Media Arts Course Flexibility for the Individual Arts Assessment Pathway (IAAP) and CTE Pathway to High School Graduation

This resource addresses frequently asked questions related to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) field memo, Amendment of Section 100.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Media Arts Course Flexibility for the Individual Arts Assessment Pathway (IAAP) and CTE Pathways to High School Graduation.

1. What are media arts?

As articulated in NYSED’s “Guidance on Implementing the New York State Revised Learning Standards Currently in New York State,” media arts is understood to apply to all forms of time-related art works which are created by recording sound and/or visual images. Media artwork usually depends on a technological component to function. It includes both fine art and commercially oriented works presented via film, television, radio, audio, video, the internet, interactive and mobile technologies, transmedia storytelling, and satellite. Media art forms are constantly evolving in response to technological innovations. Media arts is an interdisciplinary content area that includes both fine and commercially oriented works of art. Forms that are shared with contemporary visual arts/fine arts include kinetic sculpture, information art, organic and algorithmic art, interactive art, multimedia installations. Other more commercially oriented forms include news reporting, documentaries, advertisements, music videos, animation, machinima, video games and game design, and/or a combination of any of these. This can be achieved through delivery of the NYS Media Arts Standards and the NYS CDOS 3B Career Major Standards in the Arts/Humanities.

2. Does the flexibility provided under section 100.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education affect who can instruct media arts courses?

No. Per NYSED’s School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) Course to Certification Crosswalk Workbook, media arts courses can be instructed by appropriately certified CTE certified teachers and visual arts certified teachers. The amendment of section 100.5 does not change the requirements for who can instruct media arts courses but aims to increase access to media arts courses by allowing appropriately certified teachers to teach certain media arts courses that can be utilized as both arts credit towards an IAAP sequence and CTE credit towards a NYSED-approved CTE program. 

3. Which specific courses does this flexibility apply to?

The List of Department-approved Media Arts Courses for use in student’s IAAP sequence and NYSED-approved CTE program is available on the Department's website.

4. Does this flexibility affect who can instruct Design and Drawing for Production?

No. There has been no change in requirements regarding which certifications (Technology Education and Visual Arts) can instruct Design and Drawing for Production.

5. Does this flexibility affect who can instruct arts courses to satisfy the required arts diploma credit?

No. In accordance with section 100.5(b)(7)(iv)(e) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, any arts course for which credit will be awarded to meet the one unit of credit requirement for graduation must be taught by a certified teacher. Arts courses for arts diploma credit must be instructed by an arts certified teacher. Design and Drawing for Production (DDP) and the Family and Consumer Sciences Housing and Environment and Clothing and Textiles Core courses (FACS) are the only instances in which students can earn their arts diploma credit through courses instructed by non-arts certified teachers. This flexibility does not change who can instruct arts courses to satisfy the required arts diploma credit.

6. Will there be any change in reporting to the Department for media arts courses?

No. All courses on the List of NYSED-approved media arts courses for use in student’s IAAP sequence and NYSED-approved CTE program will continue to be reported using the same SCED codes found in the NYS Comprehensive Course Catalog.