Change in Administration Date for the Regents Examination in Physical Setting/Earth Science, New Part D--Lab-Practical Performance Component
A field memorandum has been issued concerning implementation of the lab-practice performance component (Part D) for the first time in June 2008. Turnkey training will be provided for teachers on the new performance component in fall 2007 and spring 2008. The field memorandum is available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/scire/espartd-107.htm .
Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) Template for Upstate/Long Island Schools
All school districts and buildings identified as needing improvement, corrective action, or restructuring, as well as those requiring academic progress or under registration review, must complete a CEP and submit it to the Department's Office of School & Community Services (Regional) within 90 days of being identified. For additional information and a CEP template, please go to http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osi/.
Black History Month and African American Read-In, February 2007
The National Council of English Teachers (NCTE) and the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English will sponsor the Eighteenth National African American Read-In. Schools, libraries, and community organizations are hosting and coordinating Read-Ins in their communities on Sunday, February 4, 2007 and Monday, February 5, 2007. To read more about this upcoming event, please visit NCTE’s site at http://www.ncte.org/prog/readin/107901.htm?source=gs for an official Read-In packet, plus resources such as reading lists or ideas for hosting an event.
READING NEXT: A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy
Reading Next is a cutting-edge report to the Carnegie Corporation of New York and published by the Alliance for Excellent Education. It combines the best research currently available with well-crafted strategies for turning that research into practice. Reading Next charts an immediate route to improving adolescent literacy, including suggestions for instructional and infrastructure improvements.
The authors outline 15 key elements
of an effective literacy intervention, and call on public and private stakeholders
to invest in the literacy of middle school and high school students today,
while simultaneously building the knowledge base. To read the report, please
visit
http://www.all4ed.org/publications/ReadingNext/
WRITING NEXT Report
The Alliance for Excellent Education has published a new report, Writing Next that "trumpets writing as an important component to literacy instruction ... a predictor of academic success... and a basic requirement for participation in civic life and the global economy." The report includes an analysis of Eleven Elements of Effective Adolescent Writing Instruction, including writing strategies, summarization, collaborative writing, inquiry activities, specific product goals, prewriting, process writing approach, and writing for content learning. The full report is available at http://www.all4ed.org/publications/WritingNext/index.html
Lists of Favorite Books for Children
Since 1989, the Teachers’ Choices project of the International Reading Association has developed an annual annotated reading list of new books that will encourage young people to read. These are books that kids will enjoy and that contribute to learning across the curriculum. The reading list is available at http://www.reading.org/resources/tools/choices_teachers.html
The Children’s Choices booklist is a list with a twist! Children themselves evaluate the books and provide reviews of their favorites. Since 1974, Children’s Choices have been a trusted source of book recommendations, used by teachers, librarians, parents, and children. The Web site is http://www.reading.org/resources/tools/choices_childrens.html
New York State Council for the Social Studies/New York State Social Studies Supervisory Association 68th Annual Conference: March 21-24, 2007 in Rochester
"Social Studies: The Global Tapestry" is the theme of the 68th annual conference of the New York State Council for the Social Studies and the New York State Social Studies Supervisory Association. The conference will be held in Rochester from March 21 to 24, 2007, at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center and Hyatt Regency Hotel. For more information, please visit http://www.nyscss.org .
Announcing New York State’s 2006-07 United States Senate Youth Delegates and Alternates
Each year, in cooperation with the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Department sponsors the United States Senate Youth Program. The program selects two high school student leaders to represent New York State in Washington, D.C., all expenses paid. In addition, each delegate receives a $5,000 college scholarship award. This year, New York State’s student delegates are Jaclyn Delligatti, who attends Hicksville High School in Hicksville, and Courtney Yadoo, who attends the Wheatley School in Old Westbury. The two alternates are Suraj Kumar, from New Rochelle High School, and Vidya Viswanthan, from Herricks High School. In August 2007, information regarding the 2007-2008 United States Senate Youth Program and application forms will be posted on the Social Studies Web site at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/social.html
National Science Olympiad
The Department, in cooperation with the National Science Olympiad and the New York State Science Olympiad, invites students to participate in a statewide Science Olympiad competition. Teams of students from public and nonpublic middle schools, junior high schools, and high schools are eligible for participation in this event. This year’s New York Statewide Olympiad will consist of academic, interscholastic competitions among individuals and among teams of students from grades 6-9 and 9-12. Registered students would prepare during the year for scheduled regional, State, and possibly national competitions. Competitions follow the formats of popular board games, Olympic games, and TV shows. These challenging and motivational events are well-balanced among the various science disciplines of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, and technology. There is also a balance between events requiring knowledge of science content, concepts, processes, skills, and applications. For further information and printable registration forms, go to http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/Olympiad.htm .
New Web Site
The Middle Level Education initiative has a new web site to post timely notices regarding middle level initiatives. For ongoing information, please visit http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mle/middle.html .
Scoring the ELA/Editing Paragraph for grades 3, 5, and 7
Information regarding the scoring of the editing paragraph for grades 3, 5, and 7 of the English Language Arts test has been sent out on DVDs to S/CDN representatives and school principals. Additional information can be found at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/scoringediting.htm.
PrintEd Program Award/Orleans Niagara BOCES
The Ben Franklin Society, honor society of the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, named the graphic communications program at Orleans-Niagara BOCES the recipient of its 2006 Frederick D. Kagy Education Award of Excellence. The Frederick D. Kagy Award of Excellence honors the distinguished career of Dr. Kagy, professor emeritus at Illionois State University, as he was an inspiration to thousands of students in the field of graphic arts and technology education. The award was presented to Orleans-Niagara BOCES graphics instructor Linda Laney at the Ben Franklin Society Awards dinner in Milwaukee, WI on December 15, 2006. Ms. Laney has been the graphics instructor at Orleans-Niagara BOCES for the past 17 years. This graphic communications program has been accredited by PrintEd since 1998. PrintEd is a national accreditation and certification program, based on industry standards, for graphic communications programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Information on PrintEd is available at www.gaerf.org/printed/printed.html
Physical Education Requirements
The Department has received allegations that certain school districts may not be providing physical education programs to students in full compliance with Section 135.4 of the Commissioner's Regulations. School districts are encouraged to review the regulations to ensure that they are in compliance with the number of days per week and total minutes per week that are required for physical education at each grade level. The regulations are posted at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pe/pub/part135.pdf.
2008 Teacher of the Year
The Department’s Office of Higher Education is still accepting applications for the 2008 New York State Teacher of the Year Award. The Teacher of the Year program recognizes and celebrates outstanding teachers throughout New York State. Eligible teachers are appropriately credentialed, work directly with students in a public, private or charter school and have at least five years teaching experience. The deadline for applications is February 16, 2007. The application and additional information are available at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/TEACHING/toty/totyapp2008.html.
Commissioner’s Decisions
Information about appeals to the Commissioner of Education is available on the Department’s Office of Counsel website at http://www.counsel.nysed.gov. The site contains decisions from 1991 to date. New decisions are added as they are issued. Recent significant decisions issued by the Commissioner in appeals brought before him pursuant to Education Law §310 include the following:
Appeal of Wilson, 46 Ed Dept Rep ___, Decision No. 15,497, dated December 8, 2006.
The Commissioner sustained in part petitioner’s appeal of the determination of the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Long Beach and its director of health, physical education and athletics (collectively “respondents”) denying his son the opportunity to try out for the junior varsity lacrosse team. Respondents’ pre-evaluation committee determined that petitioner’s son did not have the potential to successfully compete at the junior varsity level and, therefore, was not eligible to try out for the team. However, the New York State Selection/Classification Program for Interschool Athletic Programs states that if a student requests that he/she be processed through the selection/classification process, the athletic director shall obtain parental permission and have the student screened by a school physician prior to any performance testing. Here, since petitioner’s attorney specifically requested that petitioner’s son be given an opportunity to try out for the team, he should have been processed through the selection/classification procedures. The Commissioner further determined that the respondents failed to convene a proper pre-evaluation committee.
Regents: Action | Discussion | Upcoming Agenda