Cultural Institutions and
Schools
Museums and art institutions
are a vital part of the University of the State of New York. And they are educational institutions. They do so
many things, including creating and preserving great works of art, developing
our understanding of science and history, creating new knowledge through
research, and they define the standards of beauty and quality in art. But for a child and that child’s
teacher, these places are part of education and one more way to reach the
learning standards. Making this
work requires a lot more than scheduling a class visit to a museum. For example, New York’s museums give
great attention to curriculum, coordination with teachers, and thought about how
to use their collections to help students see and understand. During their
two-day meeting in New York City in October, the Regents will visit both
partners - school and cultural institutions - and talk with the professionals
who make the educational process work.
Key questions: Who
and what make the school-cultural institution relationship effective as an
educational experience for children? As trustees of the University of the State
of New York, what could Regents do to support such
relationships?
Development of Regents Proposal on School Aid
for 2005-06
While the court-appointed
panel of three referees continues its deliberation on the CFE matter, the
Regents press on toward a recommendation on State aid for the 2005 legislative
session. In October the Regents will discuss an introduction to their 2005-06
State aid proposal. The
introduction defines the main elements of the proposal first advanced last year.
The headings for the paragraphs in the paper are in the form of arguments for
why the Regents proposal is the solution to New York’s continuing State aid
crisis. Meanwhile, we continue to
make these points as amicus in
CFE. Some Regents have attended the
forums where we have sought advice on incorporating special education into our
State aid proposal. The findings
from those meetings will be reflected in the final proposal. The 2005-2006
proposal will come to the Regent for a vote in December.
Key question: Are we on the
right track with the 2005-06 State aid proposal as it is
developing?
Regents 2005 Priority
Legislative Proposals
In November the Regents will adopt their list of
priority legislative proposals, which will guide advocacy during the coming
legislative session. In October,
the Board will have a brief discussion of the proposed list, which includes a
number of priorities carried over from the last session, two new ones, and two
placeholders pending federal legislative action.
The new ones are proposed charter school law
revisions and No Child Left Behind implementation issues. Note that in addition
to Regents priorities, we also develop and share with the Regents a longer list
of technical amendments and other legislative items known as Departmental bills.
The Regents priority list, however, will be the focus of our joint advocacy
efforts throughout the legislation session.
Key
question: Are the proposals consistent with Regents priorities and clearly
stated?
Charter School Critical Issues
The Regents have been
working diligently through a list of policy decision rules to guide State
Education Department staff evaluations and Board decisions of charter school
applications. In September the Board discussed fiscal impact. In October we will
continue with educational need and special need populations and other topics on
the list as time allows.
Key question: What decision
rules will the Board define for review of charter school
applications?
Recommendations on Improving
Performance of English Language Learners
The
EMSC-VESID Committee will discuss 10 recommendations to improve the performance
of English language learners. These
recommendations go to the heart of the matter: teacher education and
certification, curriculum and instruction, funding, monitoring, information for
parents, and leadership development. A committee of practitioners would be
created to advise the Commissioner and Regents on the implementation of these
recommendations. Testing issues will come before the Board at another time as
part of the on-going assessment review. The recommendations reflect Regents
Cohen’s and Cortés-Vázquez’s discussions with constituent groups and additional
State Education Department staff discussions with the New York City Department
of Education. Appendix A includes
important definitions and other program data.
Key question: Will the
Regents direct the State Education Department to implement these recommendations
in cooperation with the New York City Department of Education and other school
districts?
Regents Oversight of Assessment: GED
The Regents will discuss a
report on GED that was carried over from the June and July meetings, with
several additions to respond to Regents requests for more data. The report describes entrance criteria,
enrollment data, reasons for enrollment growth, and continuous improvements in
data collection over the last decade.
The report includes data about incarcerated youth, contrasting views
about the value of the GED credential, and the standards that the exam measures.
This report supports one part of the Regents on-going oversight of New York’s
assessment program.
Key questions: Why are
district transfer-to-GED rates flat while the program data shows increases in
GED program enrollments? Why are
many incarcerated youth in no educational program? Do the proposed program
enhancements meet Regents expectations?
Conversation with Chancellor
Joel Klein
The Regents have invited Chancellor Joel Klein to
meet with them for an informal discussion of topics developed by Board
members. This is an opportunity to
hear first-hand about important issues facing New York City’s children and
school system and the New York City Department of Education’s strategies to
confront those issues. The Board’s
performance agreement with the Commissioner includes this: “Maintain an
effective partnership and strategy with New York City leaders to support
improved student achievement.” The
meeting with the Chancellor is part of the Regents way of accomplishing the same
end.
Key
question: What more could we do to ensure an effective partnership to improve
student achievement?
