News and Notes
May 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Betty A. Rosa
Last week, the Board of Regents acted on important measures to advance diversity, equity and inclusion and to promote civics education opportunities in New York’s schools. Building on its Framework on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in New York’s Schools, the Regents approved a Policy Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) that expresses the Board’s expectation that all schools and institutions of higher education will adopt and implement meaningful DEI policies and practices.

The policy statement notes that a growing body of research finds that all students benefit from schools with strong DEI policies, and describes the elements the Board expects districts to include in their policies. The full text of the Board of Regents Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement is available on the Department’s website.

Additionally, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) continued its work to create a New York State Seal of Civic Readiness and proposed a Civic Readiness Pathway to Graduation. Civics education increases the likelihood that students will participate in political and community activities; be more committed to fundamental democratic values and principles; and be more tolerant of those who may have different points of view. Civics education, when steeped in the fundamentals of the Board’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, will provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to question and engage in civil discourse and offer sustainable solutions to issues that are important to them and their communities.

Public comments on the proposed Civic Readiness Pathway regulatory amendments will be accepted until July 26, 2021 by email at REGCOMMENTS@nysed.gov.

Below, you can find details on other announcements and resources from NYSED:

  • NYSED Seeks Public Input in Developing New York’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Plan
  • State Museum, Library and Archives to Re-Open May 17, 2021 With COVID-19 Protocols in Place
  • NYSED Announces Expanded Professional Learning Opportunities to Effectively Implement Remote and Hybrid Learning
  • NYSED Releases Report on Stakeholder Input on Substantially Equivalent Instruction
  • NYSED Announces Fourth Class of My Brother’s Keeper Fellows
  • The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind

Sincerely,

Betty A. Rosa
Commissioner
NYSED Seeks Public Input in Developing New York’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Plan
NYSED opened a platform to seek public input in developing New York’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund plan. The ARP ESSER State Plan will detail NYSED’s intentions for the use of federal ARP ESSER funds, as required by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).
 
The nearly $9 billion in federal funding has been made available to New York State to support schools in safely reopening and sustaining safe operations while meeting the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Responses received by May 24, 2021 will be reflected in NYSED’s final ARP ESSER plan. Additional information on ARP ESSER, the plan and public engagement may be found on the NYSED website. 
State Museum, Library and Archives to Re-Open May 17, 2021 With COVID-19 Protocols in Place
Opening Monday, May 17
NYSED's Cultural Education Center will re-open to the public on Monday, May 17, 2021 with new COVID-19 protocols in place. The Cultural Education Center (CEC) in Albany is home to the State Museum, State Library and State Archives. The new, temporary hours for the CEC will be Monday through Friday, 10 am – 4 pm. The CEC will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays until further notice and on all state-observed holidays. As always, admission to the Museum, Library and Archives is free.

Per COVID-19 restrictions, visitors to the State Museum and State Library should make advance reservations online or by phone to schedule admission. Walk-in admission will be available only as space allows.


The following precautions will be in place in accordance with New York State and CDC COVID-19 practices, including:

  • Masks will be required for visitors over the age of two.
  • Capacity per institution, floor and/or gallery will be limited to allow for safe social distancing.
  • The Museum will not be scheduling or allowing tour groups of more than 10 individuals until further notice.
NYSED Announces Expanded Professional Learning Opportunities to
Effectively Implement Remote and Hybrid Learning
hybrid/remote learning
Expanded professional learning opportunities to support remote and hybrid learning are available for New York’s educators. The expanded opportunities are being facilitated by NYSED's Teaching in Remote/Hybrid Learning Environments (TRLE) program and through a partnership with the New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education (NYSCATE).

A calendar of TRLE learning opportunities can be found on NYSED's TRLE website.

More information on professional development courses offered by NYSCATE can be found on NYSED's website or on NYSCATE's website.
NYSED Releases Report on Stakeholder Input on
Substantially Equivalent Instruction
NYSED released a report summarizing feedback on the issue of “substantial equivalence of instruction” in nonpublic schools gathered during six regional meetings held last fall. Representatives of the racial, linguistic, cultural and religious identities encompassed in New York’s more than 1,800 religious and independent schools, as well as public school leaders from around the state, participated in these meetings. The feedback will be used to inform revised proposed regulations.

About 500 individuals participated in the stakeholder meetings, representing approximately 230 religious and independent schools, 65 public schools/districts, and 18 BOCES, as well as state-level organizations of public and nonpublic education leaders, advocacy organizations and community-based organizations.
NYSED Announces Fourth Class of My Brother’s Keeper Fellows
New York State My Brother's Keeper
NYSED named the fourth class of New York State My Brother's Keeper (MBK) Fellows who have been identified as leaders in their MBK Communities and who will be provided with mentor relationship opportunities in government, education and business. The 73 Fellows, all high school juniors, represent 25 New York State school districts. The MBK initiative helps boys and young men of color—and all students—realize their full potential.

The fourth class of Fellows was inducted in April via a virtual ceremony during the 2021 New York State MBK Symposium. The Symposium was attended by hundreds of students, parents, educational leaders and advocates from across the state and country.
The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind
Dr. Michael Lucas
Information about the lives of enslaved people in New York is too often missing from the written record or was relayed by those who enslaved them. Archaeology, however, can provide insight into the daily life, values and traditions of enslaved people. Join Dr. Michael Lucas on Tuesday, May 18 for the program, The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind. Dr. Lucas will explore how artifacts excavated at the 18th-century John Bogart House site in Albany provide insight into enslaved individuals and how they claimed some power and control over their own lives through the manipulation of material objects.

After a brief presentation on the John Bogart House archaeology, Dr. Lucas will be joined by Cordell Reaves, Travis Bowman, Matt Kirk and Lavada Nahon for a conversation on how we can interpret the lives of enslaved people otherwise absent from the historical record through material culture. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the program.

Pre-registration is required. Please register here.

Panel participants include:
  • Michael Lucas, Curator of Historical Archaeology, New York State Museum
  • Travis Bowman, Historic Preservation Program Coordinator
  • Matt Kirk, Education Manager, Hartgen Archaeological Associates
  • Lavada Nahon, Interpreter of African American History, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
  • Cordell Reaves, Project Manager of Education, NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation