January 1998
More than a thousand teachers and other educators came to the Statewide Professional Development Conference last weekend. Conference planners had to send letters to 400 others who wanted to attend but could not because of space limitations. I have rarely talked in such a packed room – two rooms actually, because the overflow had to listen via television. This is just one more sign of the massive commitment and energy for change among local educators. It also attests to the hunger out there for information that works in the classroom.
Deputy Commissioner Kadamus gave the crowd what they came to hear. Teachers who didn’t get to see his charts that weekend can read them on our web page. And there is a lot more to come. The item is called "Overall Strategy for Raising Student Performance: A Presentation." The address is http://www.nysed.gov/emsc/ strategy/index.htm In the coming weeks, every teacher in the state will receive an individually addressed brochure that describes exactly when and how to get information on sample tests and other vital matters. This will alert classroom teachers to the availability of sample test booklets when they arrive and will ensure wide and simultaneous sharing of information. Parents and others who want this information will be able to find it on the web page.
This is a good year to advocate for the Regents budget recommendations. We have a budget that reflects our strategic plan, and that alone makes it easy to explain why we need what we propose. But we can also point to improvements in many parts of the operation. I made that point very directly to all school board members. When the School Report Card appears at the end of February, they can point to the first signs of improved performance and argue the case for investing in success. And the same case can be made by those interested in the Professions, VESID, Higher Education, Cultural Education and other parts of the budget.
Our state aid booklet is already on our web page. Within days of the Governor’s budget message, we will have a side-by-side comparison available on the web as well. We will have concise brochures on the critical numbers, and I will share copies of my budget presentations to the Legislature with everyone.
The first day of the legislative session is like the first day of school, the return of baseball, and the opening of trout season. Hope is renewed, memories of the past are selectively dim and we are eager to start this most fascinating process all over again.
The Governor devoted several pages of his State of the State message to education. In his mention of the new fourth grade reading test, he said "It’s a great idea and I applaud the Board of Regents for making it happen." He also committed to work with us on the reform of special education.
The Governor proposed a number of programs to help students: extended day programs called Advantage Schools, intensive English language instruction for young children who don’t speak English, and summer school for students who do not perform well on the fourth grade test. All of these taken together constitute extra help for students, and our research shows that extra help works. The Governor also again supported charter schools and recommitted to the initiatives begun last year in prekindergarten and smaller class size.
The Chancellor and I, along with other Regents, attended the State of the State and talked informally with the Governor, the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the education committee chairs, along with many other legislators.
My view of the Governor’s message is positive. The Governor acknowledged a few of the Regents priority issues, recognized the Regents strong efforts to improve schools, and pledged follow-through on some of the good work begun last year. This was a good beginning. Now we are ready to hear the budget message.
We are making exhaustive efforts to ensure the quality of the Report Cards this year. By January 23, we will mail preliminary Report Cards to school superintendents and any final corrections are due back by February 2. On February 20, we will mail the final reports to superintendents and principals. The media will begin to cover the results on February 26. As we did last year, we will strongly encourage and also monitor the widest possible sharing of this information with parents and other members of the community.
This is a particularly important Report Card. It will give a first look at how far we have to go to meet the new standards. The Report Cards will show, for example, what proportion of the students have passed the English and mathematics Regents exams. I expect that many more schools will have moved above the 90 percent minimum as required by recently enacted regulations. And we will also see the very long way ahead for some other schools. The successes of some will encourage us to press on with those others who still have far to go.
We will also get the most detailed look ever provided about the performance of students with disabilities.
The State Museum will open an important new exhibit on February 4 to present the decade when Harlem blossomed as the world center for people of African ancestry. This first addition to the permanent exhibits since 1992 will contain mural sized photographs, literary quotes, and many artifacts from the period, including a pulpit from AME Zion Church in Harlem that was originally used by Fredrick Douglas and continued in use through the 1920s. Black Capital will be the largest exhibit in the City of Neighborhoods section of the New York Metropolis Hall. Its opening will be a fitting way to mark African American history month.
After we welcomed four new partners to this important collaboration in December, we are preparing for two more to join in February. The Partners for Children leadership group held its planning meeting and we have had an orientation session for staff. In the year ahead, we expect a state teleconference on May 1, an expansion of the community report cards, and a web site that will help share model community collaborations. We also will see even more direct support of community efforts to link the work of all who are trying to improve the future for children and families.
Schools and colleges throughout the North Country are closed and many will remain closed for days or weeks as people struggle with basic safety and health issues. Many of these buildings are serving as emergency shelters and food distribution points. I spoke with the four district superintendents in the affected counties and heard of the very complex problems involving roads that cannot be used by buses, downed power lines, flooding, and ice damage. They are in daily contact with local education leaders and emergency teams from state and local agencies. As the situation improves and basic needs have been met, we will turn to the question of how to make up missed instructional time. The State Education Department has staff assigned to the State Emergency Management Office.
