On Board Online • June 12, 2017

MaryEllen Elia
Commissioner of Education

As another school year draws to a close, I'd like to take this opportunity to review with you where we stand on three issues that are critically important to our schools, our students and our state: the proposed federal budget, New York's revised learning standards and our draft plan to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Simply put, President Trump's proposed budget would be a disaster in terms of its impact on education both here in New York and nationally.

On Board Online • June 12, 2017

By Courtney Sanik
Senior Policy Consultant

It's inevitable: No matter how much thought your board puts into its policies, many of those policies will need to be changed.

Laws, regulations and commissioner's decisions can necessitate policy changes. So can guidance documents from federal or state authorities, changes in your district's practices or just changes in how people in your district think about a given issue.

On Board Online • May 29, 2017

By Gayle Simidian
Research Analyst

The State Education Department's EngageNY website was designed for teachers in New York State, but it's a big hit nationally, according to the Rand Corporation.

Teachers striving to produce lessons connected to specific standards in math and English language arts find the site invaluable, the think tank said in a new report, Use of Open Educational Resources in an Era of Common Standards: A Case Study on the Use of EngageNY.

On Board Online • May 29, 2017

By Cathy Woodruff
Senior Writer

Revised regulations approved by the Regents at their May meeting include new provisions designed to ensure that all K-12 students, including those in primary and elementary grades, have access to the services of a certified school counselor.

School counselors work in three primary student support areas: academic program planning and development, social-emotional development and college and career readiness preparation.

On Board Online • May 29, 2017

By Cathy Woodruff
Senior Writer

The new name unveiled this month for the latest reboot of New York's math and English language arts standards might have a familiar ring for some Star Trek fans. The new standards will be known as the "Next Generation Learning Standards," echoing the subtitle of an updated version of the sci-fi series that ran in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

On Board Online • May 29, 2017

By Eric D. Randall
Editor-in-Chief

Voters across the state supported almost all proposed school spending plans when they went to the polls on May 16, but voter turnout was the lowest since the State Education Department began tracking vote totals in 2003.

"I think it's a good sign," Sara Lattin, president of the Elmira school board, said when asked about the turnout trend in her district. Five years ago, 4,099 residents flocked to the polls in Elmira, upset about layoffs and eager to vote in highly contested school board races. But this year, only 751 people showed up, with 82.8 percent voting yes.

On Board Online • May 29, 2017

By Eric D. Randall
Editor-in-Chief

In an age of globalization, smart robots and rapid change, schools need to prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist, or jobs they create themselves, according to an acclaimed professor who will be the keynote speaker at NYSSBA's 98th's Annual Convention, which will be held Oct. 12-14 in Lake Placid.

"We are in the age of smart machines," said Yong Zhao, a professor of education at the University of Kansas. "That is going to render obsolete a lot of traditional jobs. It's a big shift."

On Board Online • May 29, 2017

Susan Bergtraum
NYSSBA President

The release of the state's new draft "Next Generation Learning Standards" to replace Common Core has prompted debate about what we should be teaching students in our schools.

After a comment period that ends June 2, it is expected the state will formally adopt new standards. Teachers will begin implementing them in the classroom. School boards and administrators will align local curriculum and assessments to the new standards.

While the emphasis in the standards appropriately has been on English language arts and math skills, I hope we don't lose sight of another important skill: creativity.