On Board Online • April 7, 2025

By Eric D. Randall
Editor-in-Chief

Why were colorful umbrellas hung from ceilings and placed outside school buildings in the Frankfort-Schuyler Central School

On Board Online • June 8, 2020

By Kendra McQuilton

In light of the George Floyd protests, your school board may be re-examining district efforts involving diversity and inclusion. Have you considered your district's dealings with businesses?

The average school district spends 11% of its budget on purchased services, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

On Board Online • February 24, 2020

By Julie Davis Lutz
Chief Operating Officer Eastern Suffolk BOCES

The lack of diversity among teachers and other school personnel has been getting more attention in New York State. A draft report presented to the state Board of Regents in November found that 200 of the state's 700 school districts do not employ a single teacher of color. Nationally and statewide, about eight in 10 teachers are white (and predominantly female).

On Board Online • November 25, 2019

By Cathy Woodruff
Senior Writer

More than 200 school districts in New York do not employ even one teacher who is black, Hispanic or from another racial or ethnic background of color, according to a draft report on educator diversity that's nearing completion at the State Education Department.

And while students of color make up a growing majority of statewide school enrollment, fewer than 5 percent of teachers in most regions of the state have backgrounds placing them in that category, the researchers found.

On Board Online • April 29, 2019

Timothy G. Kremer
NYSSBA Executive Director

"We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't."
- Frank A. Clark

Last October, delegates at NYSSBA's Annual Business Meeting passed a resolution calling upon NYSSBA to help school boards develop action plans to improve cultural competency, diversity and inclusivity within school districts. Since that time, I have been thinking a lot about how to do this.

The idea that diversity is a virtue is not a controversial one. The goal is not simply to improve representation but make public education better.

On Board Online • November 5, 2018

By Barbara Bradley
Deputy Director of Online Communications and Project Planning

With student populations becoming more diverse, school districts must reassess students' cultural, emotional and intellectual growth, according to two veteran school district superintendents who spoke at NYSSBA's 2018 Annual Convention & Education Expo.

They offered ideas on changing school culture, based on their experiences.

On Board Online • February 5, 2018

By Julie Marlette
Director of Governmental Relations

One might assume that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's annual executive budget proposals are mostly numbers. But recent budgets have included plenty of policy language.

This year is no exception; appropriations bills were accompanied by several thousand pages of text. Some of the language was needed to implement spending plans and distribute the money while other portions had nothing to do with money.

On Board Online • January 22, 2018

By David Kraus
Special Correspondent

Lack of racial and ethnic diversity among educators in New York State is a problem that must and can be solved.

That was a key theme at a symposium hosted by the New York State Council of School Superintendents (the Council) on Dec. 8. The day-long gathering was co-sponsored by NYSSBA.

The event drew more than 130 superintendents, assistant superintendents, school board members and other educators to Saratoga Springs to learn about issues involving equity. Equity is the idea that treating all students the same does not achieve fairness; rather, students from different backgrounds may need different kinds of support in order to reach their potential.

On Board Online • November 23, 2009

By Eric D. Randall
Editor-in-Chief

Members of the Elmira school board and the district superintendent gathered in district offices Nov. 10 to participate in a four-hour diversity training session facilitated by NYSSBA. The district requested the custom-designed training after a member of the Elmira board was quoted widely in the media saying that she thought racism is a problem throughout the district.

On Board Online • October 26, 2009

By Barbara Bradley
Staff Writer

After prolonged discussion, delegates at NYSSBA’s Annual Business Meeting passed a resolution that calls for NYSSBA to encourage school boards to promote cultural diversity. The resolution had been submitted by NYSSBA’s Board of Directors.