Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2003

SUMMARY:

Among the topics highlighted in this report are:

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER�S REPORT

ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, SECONDARY AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

Homeland Security: Guidance on Orange Alert

The federal government placed the nation on Orange Alert due to the war. The Department, the New York State Police, and the Office of Public Security, in consultation with District Superintendents, the BOCES Pupil Health and Safety Teams, and the New York State Center for School Safety, created a guidance document, "New York State Homeland Security for Schools." Its purpose is to provide a uniform system for notifying school districts of possible threats and appropriate response actions and is meant to provide guidelines for school officials to make informed decisions in consultation with local law enforcement and emergency personnel in the context of district and building school safety plans. The document is accessible at www.emsc.nysed.gov. New York schools are under an Orange Alert Level 2 status. Note that a Red Alert will be declared only in the event of an imminent, site-specific threat. Such an alert is likely to be very localized, based on credible intelligence information. Not all areas of the State will be affected the same in the case of a statewide Red Alert.

 Public Engagement on Draft Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education

The revised draft Regents policy statement on middle-level education has been posted on our web site at www.emsc.nysed.gov along with documents for a public engagement tool kit. A public hearing will be conducted by the Department on April 29 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the State Education Building in Albany. Comments on the policy statement can be submitted on-line.

 Even Start Spring Conference

The Department and the New York State Chapter of the National Even Start Association sponsored the New York State Family Literacy Spring Conference in Saratoga Springs on March 10-13, 2003. The theme of the Conference, Building on Success, reflected the history and the future of Even Start Family Literacy in New York State. Since its inception in 1989, Even Start Family Literacy has expanded to 85 programs that bring together multiple agencies to form strong partnerships to deliver quality educational programs and services to families across the State. Over 300 Even Start staff participated in the spring conference. Associate Commissioner Shelia Evans-Tranumn's keynote address provided conference participants with an overview of State and federal initiatives related to family literacy. Other conference highlights included presentations by David Dickinson, a nationally recognized expert on early childhood and interactive literacy, and Peter Yarrow, founder of Operation Respect.

 Draft New York State Technology Framework

The Department is soliciting comment on a draft guidance document for State, district and school technology planning, implementation and evaluation. The draft technology framework meets the key policy expectations and requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. The document is available at www.emsc.nysed.gov.

 Career and Technical Education Web Page

The career and technical education web page has been updated to include links for Health Occupations Education and Trade/Technical Education. These sites provide accurate and reliable information and include resources on curriculum and program development. To access any of these pages, go to www.emsc.nysed.gov/workforce and click on Career and Technical Education/Content Areas.

 Tech Prep Regional Conferences

Various New York State Tech Prep Consortia and the Department's Office of Workforce Preparation and Continuing Education are collaboratively sponsoring three full-day regional conferences across the State in early spring 2003. The conferences are intended for secondary-level career and technical education teachers and administrators, postsecondary Tech Prep educators, Tech Prep coordinators, etc. Assistant Commissioner Jean C. Stevens will be the keynote speaker at each conference site. Potential workshops include: Tech Prep Initiatives, Integrating Academics into Career and Technical Education, Model Career and Technical Education Programs, Career and Technical Education Approval Process and Technical Endorsement, Career and Technical Education Web-Based Curriculum, New York State Curriculum for Advanced Technological Education, Career Plan Initiative, CareerZone and much more. The conference schedule(s) is listed below:

March 25, 2003

Introduction to Occupations Curriculum

The revised curriculum for Introductions to Occupations is being piloted in approximately 25 schools across the State this semester. The course will eventually have a new title when it is made available to all schools for implementation. The goal of the revision is to bring the course more in line with the Career Development and Occupational Studies Learning Standards and to update the content to reflect the economic and workforce requirements of the 21^st Century.

 High School Equivalency Accountability Results

Results for the 2001-02 program year are being analyzed and can be expected in the near future. The results will provide detailed information on how well programs that prepare youth for the GED tests are doing in meeting three performance measures. This information will be useful in determining program sites that require additional attention and those that have practices that should be replicated. The exciting and innovative feature of the results is that it provides information for all students in the programs.

 
Dropout Symposium

A Dropout Symposium is scheduled at the Desmond Hotel, Albany, New York on May 12-14, 2003 and will offer a variety of informative workshops. External partners assisting in the planning of the event include the National Dropout Prevention Center and the New York State Alternative Education Association.

 Tools for Schools

Department staff contributed to the March 12, 2003 Tools for Schools broadcast entitled "Access for Under-Prepared High School Students." The broadcast showed how some high schools in large urban settings and smaller cities are assisting high school students who enter school without the proper background to understand what high school work requires.