THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Regents of The University
Robert
M. Bennett, Chancellor, B.A., M.S. ......................................................................... Tonawanda
Merryl
H. Tisch, Vice
Chancellor, B.A., M.A., Ed.D. ............................................................ New
York
Saul B.
Cohen, B.A.,
M.A., Ph.D........................................................................................ New
Rochelle
James
C. Dawson, A.A.,
B.A., M.S., Ph.D. ........................................................................ Peru
Anthony
S. Bottar, B.A.,
J.D. ............................................................................................ Syracuse
Geraldine
D. Chapey, B.A.,
M.A., Ed.D. ............................................................................. Belle
Harbor
Arnold B. Gardner,
B.A., LL.B............................................................................................ Buffalo
Harry Phillips,
3rd, B.A., M.S.F.S. ..................................................................................... Hartsdale
Joseph
E. Bowman, Jr., B.A.,
M.L.S., M.A., M.Ed., Ed.D..................................................... Albany
James
R. Tallon, Jr., B.A.,
M.A. ........................................................................................ Binghamton
Milton L. Cofield, B.S.,M.B.A., Ph.D. ................................................................................ Rochester
Roger
B. Tilles, B.A., J.D..................................................................................................
Great Neck
Karen Brooks Hopkins, B.A., M.F.A................................................................................... Brooklyn
Natalie M. Gomez-Velez, B.A.,
J.D. ................................................................................... Bronx
Charles R. Bendit, B.A. ..................................................................................................... Manhattan
President of The University and Commissioner of Education
Richard P. Mills
Deputy Commissioner for Operations and Management Services
Theresa E. Savo
The
State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age,
color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national
origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual
orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. Portions
of this publication can be made available in a variety of formats, including
braille, large print or audio tape, upon request. Inquiries concerning
this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Department’s
Office for Diversity, Ethics, and Access, Room 530, Education Building,
Albany, NY 12234.
Table of Contents
DEPARTMENT MISSION AND VISION AND REGENTS GOALS
DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Overview
All Funds Graphics
Department Summary
Cultural Education
Office of Education - P-16
The Professions
Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with
Disabilities
Operations and Management Services
Capital Construction Projects
REGENTS PRIORITY BUDGET INITIATIVES
STATUTORILY MANDATED NEEDS
Leadership and Learning …
For the best educated people in the world
Who We Are
The
University of the State of New York (USNY) is the most complete, interconnected
system of educational services in the United States. Its origins date
back to 1784 with the creation of the Board of Regents to oversee Kings
College (now Columbia University) and to the Unification Act of a century
ago. In 1904, Governor Theodore Roosevelt proposed the creation of a department
under the Regents with the responsibility for all education in the State. He
said education should be “unified for the sake of greater efficiency,
economy, and harmony.”
Today, USNY includes: 7,000 public and private elementary and secondary
schools; 271 public and independent colleges
and universities; 251 proprietary (for-profit) schools; nearly 7,000 libraries;
750 museums; the State Archives, Library and Museum; vocational rehabilitation
services for adults with disabilities; special education services for children
and teenagers; State schools for the blind and for the deaf; 25 public
broadcasting facilities; and nearly 750,000 professionals practicing in
47 licensed professions.
USNY means education. The pathways to a good education in
New York State are through its institutions. USNY can and does educate
millions of people of all ages. USNY means high standards − for schools,
museums, colleges, libraries, public broadcasting, archives, professions,
vocational rehabilitation programs, and other institutions. USNY is about
potential
− to collaborate, innovate and create new knowledge. Finally, USNY
is about membership in a great endeavor, and that membership carries both
rights and responsibilities. For example, higher education institutions exercise
a right when they confer degrees, and fulfill a responsibility to their communities
when they collaborate with local schools to improve instruction.
The
Board of Regents and its State Education Department are constitutionally
responsible for setting educational policy, standards, and rules – and
are legally required to ensure that the entities they oversee carry them
out. The Regents and the Department also provide leadership to The University
by drawing attention to major problems and by bringing all parts of USNY
together to create solutions.
Taken
together, the members of USNY and its governing Board comprise a vast resource
of knowledge, talent and leadership vital to advancing the State’s economic
competitiveness and promoting the well being of New Yorkers.
Our Mission
To raise the knowledge,
skill, and opportunity of all the people in New York.
Our Vision
We will provide leadership
for a system that prepares the best educated people in the world.
We will do this by:
· Setting
goals and standards of excellence;
· Ensuring
educational opportunities throughout a lifetime;
· Seeing
that everyone has the opportunity to gain skills for work, citizenship,
and individual growth;
· Building
partnerships for success;
· Having
the courage to speak up for the educational needs of all people; and
· Maintaining
a collaborative partnership between the Board of Regents and staff of the
State Education Department.
Regents Goals
Regents Goal 1
All students
will meet high standards for academic performance and personal behavior
and demonstrate the knowledge and skills required by a dynamic world.
Selected Performance Measures:
· Percentage
of students meeting standards on State assessments
· Participation
rates for students with disabilities on State assessments
· Percentage
of ninth graders graduating high school within four years
Regents Goal 2
All educational institutions will meet
Regents high performance standards.
Selected Performance Measures:
· Percentage
of schools meeting Annual Yearly Progress standards
· Number
of districts identified as being in financial stress
Regents Goal 3
The public
will be served by qualified, ethical professionals who remain current
with best practice in their fields and reflect the diversity of New York
State.
Selected Performance Measures:
· Percentage
of teachers teaching subjects for which they are certified
· Cycle
time for determinations of summary suspensions for licensees who pose imminent
public harm
· Enrollment
trends in graduate science programs
Regents Goal 4
Education,
information, and cultural resources will be available and accessible
to all people.
Selected Performance Measures:
· Trends
in classification rates for school-age students with disabilities
· Number
of New Yorkers without local public library service
· Number
of on-site and electronic users of the State Archives, Library and Museum
resources
Regents Goal 5
Resources under our care will be used
or maintained in the public interest.
Selected Performance Measures:
· Progress
on the renewal of State Museum exhibits and renovations of the State Library
compared to plan milestones
· Ratio
of vocational rehabilitation funds expended to wages earned, taxes paid,
and public assistance savings for consumers who are rehabilitated
Regents Goal 6
Our work environment will meet high standards.
Selected Performance Measures:
· Demographic
trends in the Department workforce
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The Regents
Plan for the Next Stage of Educational Reform |
For
a decade, student achievement has improved in response to Regents
policy and local action. But the improvement is not sufficient.
The achievement gap has narrowed but not closed. The world has also
changed as billions of people have entered the global economy and
ignited a global education boom. Every society that can afford
to do so is moving urgently to improve knowledge and skill and close
their own version of the achievement gap. The Regents will
engage with statewide and local partners on the actions below, adopt
or recommend policy as appropriate, and, with the State Education
Department and all of USNY, seek improved results systemwide:
|
Students |
1.
Promote a sustainable
early education program for all students. Resolve issues of standards,
funding and service delivery for young children.
2. Improve
academic outcomes for children with
disabilities by setting performance targets, promoting effective
practices, and holding schools accountable for dramatic improvements.
3. Improve
outcomes for English Language Learners by
setting performance targets, promoting effective practices, and
holding schools accountable for dramatic improvements.
4. Improve
high school attendance and graduation rates by setting
performance targets, promoting practices that remove barriers to
graduation, and holding schools accountable for dramatic improvements.
5. Report
student persistence and college completion results, and increase investment in programs that have been
shown to remove barriers to graduation. |
Systems |
6.
Raise the learning
standards to exceed global standards to
graduate all students ready for citizenship, work, and continued education. Align
standards, assessments, curriculum and instruction across P-16, emphasizing
transitions.
7. Strengthen
instruction. Define, reduce and then eliminate the
inequitable distribution of teaching talent. Require all teachers
of core academic subjects to be highly qualified in the subject they
are teaching by July 2007. Improve teacher retention. Focus professional
development on effective practices in areas in which academic needs are
greatest. Accelerate the integration of technology into teaching
and learning practices in P-16 institutions.
8.
Advocate for a Foundation
Formula to provide State Aid that is adequate, sustainable, fair,
and commensurate with the cost of education that enables students to
meet the standards.
9. Strengthen
the capacity of the State Education Department to
support schools as they work to improve student achievement and the Department’s
capacity to hold them accountable for doing so.
10. Create
a P-16 student data system to
drive improvements in graduation rates in high school and higher
education. |
Structures |
11. Reduce
barriers to teaching and learning in high need schools by creating
a vision and leadership framework for an integrated education,
health and mental health collaboration.
Promote strategies found to be promising in resolving high incident
health and mental health problems among children.
12. Create P-16
Councils to advise the Regents on actions to strengthen USNY
and improve student outcomes dramatically at each transition point
in the P-16 system.
13. Focus
regional education networks on joint P-16 strategies and actions to improve student outcomes. |
The Regents
Approach: The Principles
The Regents propose this plan for the next
stage of educational reform to accomplish the six USNY aims. As
the Board and the State Education Department act to implement its
plan, we commit to do so in a manner that is consistent with the
following principles:
q 
We will confront the data, share it broadly,
and use it to define as precisely as possible where resources and energy
should be applied. We will recognize the achievements and also declare
the problems as clearly as we can.
q We
will engage everyone by listening to the people the education system is
supposed to serve, to parents, to the educators at every level, to the
employers, and to the elected officials who must weigh enormous competing
demands for scarce resources. In particular, we will engage students and
their parents, and the wider community because educational institutions
do not belong to the educators but to the people. We
will create a communications plan to listen to, inform, and involve people
statewide.
q We
will define measurable objectives so that others can hold us accountable,
and we can hold education leaders accountable for improving results.
q We
will study the practices of high performing education systems, states and
nations, and adapt the best to New York’s situation. We will examine what
actions are most effective, and invite others to learn with us.
q We
will take action focused on systematic change to effect sustained improvement. We
know, for example, that closing the achievement gap for students requires
correcting the unequal distribution of teaching talent. And we know that
in demanding change in educational institutions to achieve better results,
we must also build capacity in our own State Education Department to take
on its part of this improvement strategy.
q We
will continually renew the alignment of our actions to ensure coherence
and effectiveness. For example, academic standards, curriculum, assessment,
and instructional practice have to be aligned to be effective. When one
element changes, all other elements must be examined to ensure that the
system remains effective.
q We
will strengthen USNY, because it has great potential to build more effective
transitions for students from one level of the system to the next.
q We
will advocate for State and federal financial resources and legislative
actions that will help achieve better educational outcomes. And we will
be accountable for the effective use of those resources.
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DEPARTMENT BUDGET
The Department Budget
· is
linked to the Department’s strategic plan; and
· aims
to achieve the outcomes established by the Regents.
The Department budget proposal lays out three major pieces
of information:
1. resources available to the Department
in the current year (this becomes the “base budget” for the new year);
2. additional resources the Department
requires to maintain existing operations and for priority initiatives;
and
3. resources the Department will need
for the next three fiscal years, including new initiatives.
Overview of
Requested Increases
State General Fund
· The
2008-2009 base budget outlined in this proposal assumes level funding from
the 2007-2008 allocations.
· Increased
General Fund costs associated with three percent mandated salary increases
for all Department areas have been included in the Operations and Management
Services’ section.
· Inflation
for nonpersonal services has been excluded pending notification of the
appropriate increases (if any) by the Division of the Budget.
· All
requests above level funding are detailed in the narrative sections. Where
Aid to Localities projections for 2009 through 2011 are shown at the 2007-2008
level, it should not be construed to reflect projected need.
· General
Support for Public Schools reflects the Regents State Aid proposal.
Federal and Special Revenue Funds
· Cost
of living adjustments (COLA) of three and one-half percent for State Operations
and Aid to Localities costs have been included for each of the three years.
· Where
expenditures have increased but a need for additional appropriation authority
is not anticipated, “n/a” appears in the “2008-09 ADDITIONAL REQUEST” column.
Department Summary – Including
School Aid
Department Summary – Excluding
School Aid
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Allocation
of Funds
Total 2007-2008 - $5.2 Billion |
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CULTURAL EDUCATION
The State Library, State Museum, State Archives and the Public
Broadcasting Program comprise the Office of Cultural Education (OCE).
These institutions are responsible for increasing the knowledge and information
resources of State and local government, businesses, and individuals. The
Office supports research, operates programs and develops collections that
serve the long-term interests of the institutions and residents of New York.
Cultural Education
provides services directly to individuals and government at the New York State
Library, the State Archives and the State Museum. Cultural Education also distributes
aid to libraries and library systems, local governments and public broadcasting
stations and provides instructional television services through the Public
Broadcasting Program.
Allocation of Funds
Total 2006-2008--$201.0 Million
Program Office Goals
1. Educators
and students will use cultural resources as a tool to fulfill curriculum
and assessment goals and support lifelong learning.
2. All
cultural institutions in New York will meet high performance standards.
3. Cultural
institution professionals in New York will be current with best practices
in their fields and increasingly will reflect the diversity of New York.
4. Cultural
information and resources will be available and accessible to all people.
5. Resources
under our care will be securely and professionally maintained for current
and long-term use by the people of New York.
6. Our
work environment will meet high standards.
Mission
The Office of Cultural Education ensures that valuable
information, knowledge and collections are available now and in the
future. It does this by operating New York’s State Archives, State
Library, State Museum and the Office of Educational Television and
Public Broadcasting and helping related institutions.
Key Results
Performance Measure - Archives
Goal:
Increase the number of archival digital images available to the
public, teachers and students through the OCE digital collection
Measure: The annual number of
digital images of archival collections
Baseline: The number of images
as of April 2007 was 78,000.
Target: By March 31, 2008,
100,000 images will be available in the Archives digital collections.
Performance Measure - Library
Goal: Offer
a permanently state-funded robust Statewide Internet Library for all New
Yorkers, building on the federally funded NOVELNY (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library) pilot project
Measure: The number of Statewide
Internet Library searches
Baseline: The
number of searches as of June 2007 for the NOVELNY pilot project was 25 million a year.
Target:
By June 2009, if permanent State investment begins in 2008, New Yorkers
will conduct 40 million searches annually using the Statewide Internet Library.
Performance Measure - Museum
Goal: Increase the annual
number of visitors to the State Museum
Measure: The annual number of
visitors
Baseline: The average annual visitation
between 1998 and 2006 was 675,000.
Target: By
2010, after completion of the Museum renewal, the annual number of visitors
will be 800,000.
Performance Measure - Public Broadcasting
Goal: Increase
the number of teachers using public broadcasting in the classroom
Measure: The
number of teachers using public broadcasting in the classroom
Baseline: In
fiscal year 2006-2007, 127,225 teachers were registered users of the available
digital resources.
Target: The
number of teachers using public broadcasting in the classroom will increase
by 10 percent per year.
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Office of Education - P-16
Program Office Description
The Office of Education - P-16 focuses on the following responsibilities:
· strengthening
local capacity to develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated
system of quality services for:
- more
than 2.7 million public school students in 4,524 schools, 698 school districts,
and 37 BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services);
- more
than 476,000 private school students in 2,055 schools; and
- more
than 452,000 adult learners.
· advocating
for resources and services to support the achievement of excellence and
equity of results for all learners, including those who are not yet in
school or who have left school, as well as families and communities.
· implementing
the Statewide Plan for Higher Education.
· ensuring
the quality of the State's colleges, universities, trade, and business
schools.
· developing and implementing policy
governing the certification, preparation and professional development
of all teachers, including oversight of the New York State Teacher Certification
Examinations (NYSTCE) Program.
· supporting
the safety of the school environment and due process in teacher disciplinary
proceedings.
Allocation of Funds
Total 2007-2008 -- $22.4 Billion
Program Office Goals
1. We
will implement research-based standards and assessments that reflect the
knowledge and skills that will enable students to succeed in a dynamic
world.
2. We
will raise the achievement level of all students, especially those in high-need,
low-performing schools and schools in crisis, by creating a safe, nurturing
learning environment.
3. In
collaboration with the higher education community, achieve the goals and
objectives for New York’s coordinated system of higher education established
in the Regents Statewide Plan for Higher Education, 2004-2012.
4. We will create effective and productive partnerships with all elements
of the higher education community to advise the Department and the Regents
on both our priority initiatives and on critical issues facing higher education
in our State.
P-16 – Elementary, Middle, Secondary
and Continuing Education
Mission
To raise the knowledge, skill and opportunity of all
people in New York State by strengthening local capacity to develop
and implement quality education and support services which promote
the intellectual, physical, cultural, economic and social/emotional
well being of diverse students, families, adults and communities.
Key Results
Performance
Measure –
Percentage of public school students scoring at or above state standards (levels 3 and 4)
Baseline
· ELA
Test – 63.4 percent Elementary/Middle Level
· Math
Test – 72.7 percent Elementary/Middle Level
Target
· ELA
Test – to be determined
· Math
Test – to be determined
Performance
Measure –
Percentage of public school general education students passing selected Regents
exams at scores 55-100
Baseline
· English
Exam –
75.0 percent of the 5-year 2001 cohort, 74.0 percent of the 4-year 2002 cohort
· Math
Exam – 76.0 percent of the 5-year 2001 cohort, 78.0 percent of the 4-year
2002 cohort
Target
· English
Exam –
76.6 percent of the 5-year 2002 cohort
· Math
Exam – 80.2 percent of the 5-year 2002 cohort
Performance
Measure –
Percentage of students in annual cohort who graduate high school within 4
and 5 years statewide (disaggregated)
Baseline
· 5-year
graduation rate – 72.0 percent in 2001, NA in 2002
· 4-year
graduation rate – 66.0 percent in 2001, 67.0 percent in 2002
Target
· 5-year
graduation rate – to be determined
· 4-year
graduation rate – to be determined
P-16 – Higher Education
Mission
To provide dynamic leadership to achieve excellent
results in the postsecondary education system to enhance outcomes in
the elementary and secondary schools to forge partnerships that serve
the needs of all New Yorkers.
Key Results
Performance Measure - Percentage
of full-time program entrants who complete a degree program at initial
or transfer institution
Baseline
· Associate degree within 3 years at
initial institution or transfer institution - 25.3 percent of the 2003
cohort
· Bachelors degree within 6 years at
initial institution or transfer institution - 70.6 percent of the 2000
cohort
Target
· Associate degree within 3 years -
will be established after consultation with sector leaders
· Bachelors degree within 6 years -
will be established after consultation with sector leaders
Performance Measure - Ensure an adequate
supply of highly qualified teachers for New York’s public schools
Baseline
· All teacher education programs in
New York State must achieve accreditation to ensure teachers are prepared
to be effective in the classroom – 88 percent have achieved accreditation
thus far
· Institutions in New York State with
teacher education programs must meet established institutional pass rates
on all State Teacher Certification examinations – 93 percent have met this
standard thus far
Target
· 100 percent of teacher education programs
will have completed accreditation visits by December 31, 2007
· 100 percent of institutions with teacher
education programs will meet and maintain the established institutional
pass rate (currently 80 percent) on all State Teacher Certification examinations
Performance Measure - Streamline
and simplify the process of applying for teacher certification
Baseline
· Prospective teachers and school leaders
can now apply for certification on-line - over 87
percent of applications received since April 1, 2007 have been received
on-line
Target
· Increase the number of certification
applications submitted via the Web
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THE PROFESSIONS
Program Office
Description
The Office of the Professions provides a number of services
to the public and the professions, including the following:
· reviews
programs that prepare students for professional licensure;
· designs
and administers licensing examinations;
· processes
applications, reviews qualifications, issues credentials in 47 professions
and evaluates educational credentials of candidates from over 100 countries;
· registers
entities such as professional corporations, pharmacies, continuing education
providers and providers of courses in infection control and the identification
and reporting of child abuse;
· investigates
and prosecutes professional misconduct and unlicensed practice throughout
the State;
· assists
professionals who have substance abuse problems; and
· advises
the public on professional services and assists professionals in staying
current with regulatory developments and emerging issues.
Program Office
Goals
1. The credentialing and discipline processes
are fair, prompt, clear and accurate.
2. Accurate information will be provided
promptly in a clear and courteous manner to consumers, licensees and the
interested public.
3. Policies, practice interpretations,
standards, decisions and processes for the licensed professions balance
the needs and concerns of consumers and professionals, consistent with
the law.
4. All staff are informed, share in decision-making,
are clear about their roles, have meaningful responsibility and opportunity
to contribute and have training to develop their potential.
5. Partnerships are developed to promote
diversity and increase awareness of careers in the licensed professions.
Mission
To protect the public by fostering high standards of
professional licensure, practice and discipline.
Key Results
Performance
Measure - Ensuring
that the public receives professional services by appropriately licensed
professionals
Baseline
· The
number of licensed professionals in New York State was 692,430 in April
2005, 713,284 in April 2006 and 740,766 in April 2007.
Target
· Continue
to increase the supply of competent licensed professionals in New York
State
Performance
Measure - Maintaining
a high percentage of professional discipline cases that are resolved
through the case resolution process to ensure timely resolution of these
cases to protect the public and enhance the integrity of the licensed
professions
Baseline
· The
percentage of cases resolved through consents, often utilizing the informal
settlement process was 90 percent in 2005 and 90 percent in 2006.
Target
· Continue
to maintain over 90 percent non-hearing resolution of discipline adjudications
Performance
Measure - Ensuring
that licensees and the public have accurate and timely information concerning
professional services, practice issues, licensure status, etc. through
outreach to licensees and the public through State Boards, consumer brochures
and information for applicants and professionals via Web services, including
access by consumers to the on-line license verification system
Baseline
· In
2003-2004 there were 5,450,627 cases of outreach to the public and licensees.
By 2006-2007 this number had risen to 18,483,010.
Target
· Continue
to increase outreach to licensees and the public
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VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL
SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Program Office Description
The Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals
with Disabilities (VESID) promotes educational and vocational achievement
for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21. It administers special education
programs and services in New York’s school system and provides support
for families, educators and other staff. VESID’s vocational rehabilitation
(VR) program provides specialized programs and services that assist youth
and adults with disabilities in preparing for, finding and adjusting to
employment. The Office also supports businesses that are interested in
hiring and maintaining a skilled workforce. VESID administers 39 Independent
Living Centers (ILCs) across the State and 16 Early Childhood Direction
Centers. VESID also oversees statewide networks responsible for providing
training and information to parents, educators, and others involved in
educating preschool and school-aged students with disabilities.
Program
Office Goals
1. Students receiving special education
services will meet high educational standards.
2. Students receiving special education
services will be integrated with their non-disabled peers throughout their
educational experience.
3. Individuals with disabilities will
participate successfully in postsecondary education (including colleges
and universities, adult education, technical preparation and proprietary
schools).
4. Individuals with disabilities will
be employed in integrated work settings.
5. All services for which VESID has responsibility
will be cost-effective.
6. Our services and work environment
will meet high standards and continuously improve.
Mission
To promote educational equity and excellence for students
with disabilities while ensuring that they receive the rights and protections
to which they are entitled; assure appropriate continuity between the
child and adult services system; and provide the highest quality vocational
rehabilitation and independent living services to all eligible persons
as quickly as those services are required to enable them to work and
to live independent, self-directed lives.
Key Results
Performance
Measure –
Participation rate for students with disabilities in State assessments
Baseline
· ELA/English
Test
– 96 percent of grade 4, 95 percent of grade 8 and 89 percent of high school
in school year 2004-2005
· Math
Test – 97 percent of grade 4, 95 percent of grade 8 and 90 percent of high
school in school year 2004-2005
Target
· ELA/English
Test
– 95 percent or more of all grades in school year 2010-2011
· Math
Test – 95 percent or more of all grades in school year 2010-2011
Performance
Measure –
Percentage of students with disabilities earning high school diplomas
Baseline
· 37.3
percent of the whole cohort of students with disabilities who entered grade
9 (or for ungraded students, became 17 years of age) in 2000-2001 school
year graduated with high school diplomas after 4 years
Target
· 52
percent of the whole cohort of students with disabilities who entered grade
9 (or for ungraded students, became 17 years of age) in 2006-2007 will
graduate with a high school diploma in 4 years
Performance
Measure –
Employment gains for individuals with disabilities served by VESID
Baseline
· 13,090
placements by VESID in 2005-2006, compared to 13,118 in the previous State
Fiscal Year
Target
· Over
20,000 placements by VESID annually
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The Office of Operations and Management Services provides
executive direction, leadership and administrative support for all major
program offices to assist them in realizing the six Regents goals established
in the Department’s strategic plan. Basic functions include human resources
management, labor relations, staff development, fiscal services, budgeting,
information technology, business services, facilities management, auditing,
public information, intergovernmental relations and legal services.
Program Office
Goals
1. We
will exercise leadership in promoting the efficient and effective use of
educational resources.
2. We
will ensure the accessibility of high-quality information, services and
tools to State Education Department (SED) program managers, staff and our
external customers and stakeholders.
3. We
will develop and strengthen partnerships with our stakeholders and customers
in order to promote public understanding and support for educational policies
which advance the Regents Strategic Plan.
4. We
will ensure that Department practices, policies and decisions comply with
the law through the provision of a broad range of services.
5. We
will promote a highly productive, diverse and motivated workforce.
6. We
will provide a clean, attractive, environmentally safe and secure work
environment for SED staff.
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Back to Contents
Regents Priority
Budget Initiatives
|
2008-2009 Proposed Regents Priority
Budget Initiatives
State Aid
General Support for Public Schools.
The Regents proposed a State Aid increase of $1.94 billion
in October. Subsequent data updates produced greater than expected increases.
To support the principals of Foundation Aid and continue to provide constructive
advice to decision makers, the Regents in January considered an alternative
phase-in and other adjustments to improve the focus on high need districts.
P-16 Regional
Education Alliances
The Regents propose establishing P-16 Regional Education Alliances
in every high poverty community. Each Alliance would be administered by
a local council of partners from USNY institutions plus service organizations
and employers. Alliances would be formed in designated areas of low achievement
and high poverty. They would set performance targets, measure results,
evaluate progress, and report annually to the public, the Regents,
the Legislature, and the Governor. The State’s eight Literacy Zones, which
enable children, adults, and families to access a variety of existing community
services that they might not otherwise be able to obtain, would be included
in the Regional Education Alliances. ($15,000,000 and 8 FTE)
Smart Scholars
Program
The Smart Scholars program would transform the traditional
4-year high school to college model. Funding would provide at least 12,000
disadvantaged students the support to graduate from high school on time
and complete college in three years. The program would target annually
up to 12,000 students who have been identified as academically at risk
for not successfully completing high school or for succeeding in college,
have historically not had access to or success in higher education, and
do not have the financial resources to go to college without tuition assistance.
($100,000,000 and 6 FTE)
Family and
Parent Outreach
Longitudinal analyses conducted over a 15-year period at Yale
University show that students achieve more when schools work with parents
and families. Family and Parent Outreach can accomplish this goal by linking
families to schools beginning at birth; helping parents understand and
participate in the Contracts for Excellence; and creating resources so
that parents can support their children’s learning through a working knowledge
of the State learning standards, State assessments, individual Student
Progress Reports, School Leadership Report Cards, and School Progress Report
Cards. This can be accomplished by connecting Regional Alliances to Family
Welcome Centers, which already exist in the eight Literacy Zones that have
been created. ($6,500,000)
Strengthening
Student Safety
Funding is requested to fund an initiative focused on preventing
instances of inappropriate teacher-student interactions by providing training
and professional development to teachers and school employees on appropriate
interactions with students, as well as the development of pre- and post-certification
curricula and materials on appropriate teacher-student boundaries and ethics.
The Department will collaborate with other enforcement agencies as well
as colleges and other interested parties to develop a comprehensive ethics
and boundary curriculum to be delivered through the colleges as part of
a certification requirement and to be delivered post certification as part
of the professional development requirement for educators. ($850,000)
Planting the
Seed
This program has two key components to ensure that more at-risk
middle and high school students learn about college and professional opportunities
through guidance counselors and through members of the professions themselves.
First, representatives of the 750,000-strong professionals licensed by
the Board of Regents will reach out to at-risk students and mentor individuals.
Second, students and their counselors, parents, and teachers will have
a single website that provides key information about career options, educational
requirements, and links to college programs, financial aid, and grants
available to students. ($1,000,000 and 9 FTE)
Expansion
of Programs that Close the Student Achievement Gap in Higher Education
New York State has many
existing successful partnerships between P-12 and Higher Education that
help close the achievement gap in higher education and increase access
for students who are historically underrepresented in higher education. These
partnership programs reduce the drop-out rates for students at risk of
dropping out of high school; provide academic and counseling services to
support student success in middle school, high school and college; provide
financial assistance to attend college; increase college graduation rates
for minority and economically disadvantaged students; and prepare students
for careers in science, mathematics, technology and the licensed professions.
($12,600,000)
Alternative
Teacher Preparation Programs
The Regents propose funding to prepare 1,000 new teachers
within three years in subjects where there are shortages and for children
in greatest need. This would be accomplished by expanding the proven Alternative
Certification program and also the traditional teacher education program
in the context of eight P-16 alliances that will be supported through competitive
grants. ($6,840,000 and 3 FTE)
P-16 Data
System
Funding is requested for the design of a comprehensive data
system across all sectors of the State’s education system, from pre-K through
higher education (P-16). Currently, there is an array of different data
systems maintained by multiple entities, including local school districts,
BOCES, SED, and individual institutions of higher education, including
SUNY and CUNY. Connecting P-16 data statewide could provide educators
with information about students from their earliest years of education,
as well as their patterns of achievement over time. This information can
be used to improve student persistence and graduation. ($2,000,000)
Digital Education: Technology to Advance
Teaching and Learning
Funding is requested to increase student performance through
higher levels of access to advanced technologies and digital delivery systems.
To accomplish this, SED will identify and implement best practices in innovative professional development
models for teachers and administrators which engage educators in 21st century
technology integration practices, establish standards and expectations for
the creation of digital content in the State’s museums and cultural organizations
for use by the P-16 community, enhance the capacity for SED to coordinate
and lead activities that will position New York State as a national leader
in the use and integration of technologies in schools, and provide capacity
to work with the
State Office for Technology to build statewide broadband capacity among USNY
institutions and identify best practices in technology integration. ($7,000,000
and 4 FTE)
Cultural and
Museum Education Act
Proposed funding will enable museums, historical societies
and performing arts institutions in New York State to partner with schools
to use cultural resources and programs to support and enhance classroom
teaching, close the achievement gap, and give students the skills they
need for today’s global economy. ($30,000,000 and 5 FTE)
Permanent
Statewide Internet Library
Proposed funding will provide a strong foundation for New
York’s information infrastructure with information technology, including
databases and other digitized resources, that will give New York’s students,
businesses, researchers, and universities a competitive edge. The New
York Knowledge Initiative will develop the State’s information infrastructure
by investing in the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library (NOVELNY)
pilot project to fuel a comprehensive Statewide Internet Library to
serve higher education, research and development, the business community,
and students and educators in K-12. ($10,000,000 and 3 FTE)
Ensuring the Long-Term Survival and Appropriate
Care of the State’s Government Records and Cultural Resources
The proposed funding will enable archives, museums, historical
societies, libraries, and public television stations to develop plans for
disaster preparedness and preservation of State and local electronic government
records. It will provide permanent support for the renovation and construction
of public library facilities and for training and support for governing
boards of cultural institutions. ($24,750,000 and 12 FTE)
New York Knowledge Initiative - Cultural Institutions and Resources
for Lifelong Literacy, Learning and Workforce Development
Funding proposed in the New York Knowledge Initiative will
help to strengthen New York’s libraries, museums, public television stations,
archives, and other cultural institutions to improve student achievement,
close the performance gap, and give students the skills and information
they need for today’s global economy. ($7,550,000)
Independent
Living Centers
New York’s Independent Living Centers serve over 80,000 individuals and thousands
of businesses throughout New York State. They have become the primary
resource for information necessary to enhance community integration of
people with disabilities, increase physical and communication access and
remove disincentives to work. Independent Living Centers continue to be
the only consumer controlled, community based, nonresidential, not-for-profit
network in New York State operating based on self-help, peer driven model.
VESID is seeking an additional $5.0 million for 40 Independent
Living Centers, including three new Independent Living Centers established
by the 2007-2008 State budget and one additional Center, to focus efforts
on successful transition of youths into adult life, job readiness skill
development for people entering the job market, and targeted outreach and
coordination of de-institutionalization for New Yorkers with disabilities.
($5,000,000)
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