Message from the Executive Director
Sept. 13, 2026
Dear Members and Stakeholders,
Congratulations on a successful start to the 2026-27 school year! While there may have been a few "bumps" in the road for some during the first few days, I’m confident that our students had an overall positive experience thanks to the work of our teachers, administrators and staff. I know that school board members were delighted to see the return of our children to their district’s classrooms.
The start of the new year represents another milestone on the path to the full implementation of NY Inspires and the Portrait of a Graduate with the roll out of financial literacy education for our middle and high school students. I applaud those districts that have already implemented, or will be implementing this year, additional programs that are in line with the goals of the State Education Department’s NY Inspires plan. Commissioner Betty A. Rosa shared a message on Friday about on the plan.
For school board members, administrators and all other education stakeholders who may have read our recent issue of On Board, I would like to share a clarification regarding the NY Inspires timeline: SED is moving forward on its published timeline that calls for full implementation and scaling up in 2029 for that year’s grade 9 cohort.
I was encouraged to read that SED understands that some districts may be challenged to be ready at the deadline and that the message to all districts was: "You have a partner in SED."
You can read more about NY Inspires in the next issue of On Board, just one of the many ways NYSSBA is working to keep you informed about this transition.
NYSSBA’s Governance Leadership Program builds strong president-superintendent relationships
Board presidents and superintendents, if you have not already done so, I strongly encourage you to invest in your working partnership by registering for one of NYSSBA’s fall Governance Leadership Programs. They will be hosted in four locations this fall: Ulster BOCES (10/8), Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES (10/15), Monroe One BOCES (Nov. 6) and Broome-Tioga BOCES (Nov. 9). There will also be a session hosted by Nassau BOCES in the spring.
Designed to enhance the relationship between board presidents and superintendents, this interactive experience brings these district leaders together through practical strategies, peer learning, communication style assessments, and real-world governance discussions. When communication is strong, roles are clear, and leadership is aligned, boards make better decisions, meetings become more productive and students benefit.
I’d like to thank the New York State Council of School Superintendents for working with us on this and our district superintendents for hosting this year.
Voting Delegates Guide deadline is tomorrow
Any district that wants to submit amendments to the submitted resolutions, file endorsements or offer rebuttals to the not recommended resolutions and have them appear in the Voting Delegate Guide must submit them via an email to advocacy@nyssba.org by the end of the day tomorrow (Sept. 14). Please note that amendments can still be submitted through Oct. 13 at 5 p.m. via an email to advocacy@nyssba.org. Endorsements and rebuttals must be submitted to advocacy@nyssba.org by Sept. 14, at 5 p.m.
The 2026 Proposed Resolutions Book with the complete report of the Resolutions Committee has been sent to all members. The book provides listings of all submitted bylaw amendment and resolution proposals, those recommended for approval and those not recommended for approval. The book also outlines the process for amendments, rebuttals and endorsements.
Register your business meeting delegate
If your board has not registered its delegate for the virtual NYSSBA Annual Business Meeting, please do so. The meeting will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15, starting at 4 p.m. Each member district can register one board member to serve, and registration can only be done via the link sent to your district clerk. All questions regarding the resolutions process or voting delegate registration can be sent to advocacy@nyssba.org .
Weekly Updates and Reminders
NYSSBA’s Annual Convention Webinar Series – Preview Keynote Speaker David Allison’s presentation
Register for What Matters Most: Connecting with Communities Through Values on Thursday, Sept. 24, at noon.
David Allison will share key insights from the research behind his keynote, helping participants understand what New York State communities truly value and how to use this knowledge to build trust, engage meaningfully and lead more effectively. Attendees will learn practical strategies for applying values-based leadership in their districts followed by time for Q&A and discussion.
In-person or online, learning opportunities abound at the NYSSBA Annual Convention
You are sure to gain knowledge that will help you at the board table by attending the 2026 Annual Convention and Education Expo in Buffalo from Oct. 22 to 24 or by joining us virtually through the Annual Convention Digital Experience. There will be more than 100 sessions offered between the two venues this year, covering a multitude of topics including NY Inspires and Portrait of a Graduate, artificial intelligence, preventing violence in the online era, workforce development, using Census data to guide decision making, and much more.
Don’t miss either our pre-convention events, including the 30th Annual Pre-Convention School Law Seminar. Delve into crucial information about today’s big picture school law issues affecting our public schools. Learn more about school district options regarding the increasing tension between state and federal enforcement of conflicting transgender student policies; the growing incidences of student grooming and sexual misconduct by staff; and the continuing rise in influence of the exercise of religious rights in public education, among others.
The Pre-Convention Board Officers Academy gives board leaders the opportunity to learn more about leading strategic improvement, designing a charter-driven committee structure and the opportunities and challenges of multi-generational school boards. This session will also feature a special recognition ceremony including professional headshots for board officers.
To find out more about our pre-convention events, visit our convention webpage and look under the Pre-Convention Events tab.
Annual welcome to student school board members set for Sept. 30
The State Education Department, NYSSBA and BOCES will welcome ex officio student board members on Wednesday, Sept. 30, during a live hybrid program starting at 8:15 a.m. Students board members are encouraged to participate together at their regional BOCES. The event will feature Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa, Senator Shelley Mayer, NYSSBA’s Chief Advocacy Officer Brian Fessler, NYSSBA consultant Jay Worona, a student experience panel and a question-and-answer session. School district clerks can register their student board members and submit student questions here.
From SED this week
The State Education Department (SED) shared the following this week:
- The Office of Early Learning has released the 2026-2027 Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Monitoring memo to provide an overview of the new monitoring process for UPK.
- Effective July 1, 2026, Education Law section 926 requires school districts to provide electronic or written information on water safety to parents/guardians at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year. Additionally, the school district must publish this information on its website. This memo outlines the requirements and provides information on obtaining the Department of Health-developed information.
- A new memorandum provides fiscal and programmatic guidance on the provision of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a special education related service on a student’s IEP. It distinguishes ABA as a reimbursable related service from behavioral strategies that are part of a classroom program, clarifies who can deliver it, and when ABA as a related service is eligible for STAC reimbursement.
Board of Regents meets Monday
The next Board of Regents meeting will be on Monday, Sept. 13, starting at 9 a.m. The link for the webcast will be available one-half hour prior to the scheduled start of the meeting.
Read the latest national association news
Here’s the latest from our national school board associations:
Shanah Tovah to those celebrating Rosh Hashanah!
Be well and stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Robert S. Schneider CPA, CAE
Executive Director
New York State School Boards Association