About one year ago, on October 10, 2008, Governor David Paterson held a Summit on Student Engagement and Dropout Prevention at Nazareth College in Rochester. The summit was attended by members of the Board of Regents and leadership of state agencies, associations, organizations, and school districts – including many students.

In his opening remarks, the governor addressed the “difficult financial climate,” recognizing the need to invest in education at all levels. In drawing attention to the strong relationship between high school graduation and lifetime income potential, opportunities, and satisfaction, he stated that “. . . our nation’s ability to compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace is contingent upon our capacity to deliver a comprehensive, innovative education to a diverse public.”

SAANYS was recognized as one of a dozen sponsors of the summit, and was the only association of educational professionals recognized in this manner. Presentations and discussions were organized around the America’s Promise Alliance five promises to all students:
1. Caring adults.
2. Opportunities to make a difference through helping others.
3. A healthy start and healthy development.
4. Effective education for marketable skills and lifelong learning.
5. Safe spaces and constructive use of time.

An important aspect of the summit was that participants aligned with particular state regions or with state organizations would meet together to develop an initial broad consensus of goals considered to be essential to improving success and commit to follow-up planning. SAANYS Director of Government Relations James Viola was asked by the governor’s office to serve as chairperson of the Statewide Organizations Group, which began with approximately 40 members (including SAANYS Director of Professional Development James Collins), and has grown to now include more than 100 representatives of educational associations, state agencies, institutions of higher education, private sector corporations, and other stakeholders.

The purpose of the Statewide Organizations Group is four-fold:
1.    To improve student engagement so that students will want to come to school and remain in school until graduation.
2.    To decrease the dropout rate.
3.    To improve the graduation rate.
4.    To enhance student post-secondary educational and career opportunities.

In order to achieve the above goals, the group uses the following strategies:
•    Improve communication and coordination across organizations.
•    Build inter-organizational cohesiveness so that initiatives and goals are aligned.
•    Identify systemic gaps and needs.
•    Take action to address identified gaps and needs.

To ensure that agenda items and initiatives set for the Statewide Organizations Group are relevant to real needs and issues identified by “the field,” representatives of one or more regional groups established by the Governor’s Summit were invited to participate in meetings, and the connection between the organizations and field groups is also ensured by periodically sharing information with BOCES district superintendents at their monthly meetings in Albany, and by periodic teleconferences of organizations and field group leadership. This coordination lead to a Statewide Organizations Group meeting on June 4, mainly focused on a presentation by Mr. Ken Kay, president of Partnerships for 21st Century Skills.

This past summer presented a timely opportunity to capitalize upon the perspectives of multiple organizations in addressing many of the gaps and needs identified during earlier meetings, and therefore, 14 workgroups were established. SAANYS Director of Professional Development James Collins, served as convener of the Professional Development Across Organizations workgroup. Robert Thomann, a SAANYS Government Relations Committee member who is a director of alternative programs, worked on the Credit Recovery Workgroup, in developing a survey to collect information regarding approaches and programs used by school districts and BOCES for over-aged, under-credited students. Deborah Rider from the Rochester City School District, who is also a GRC member, worked on the Safe Schools Workgroup to develop guidance for schools and organizations. Viola provided oversight for the workgroups and headed a workgroup to provide additional student mentoring and academic support to students at risk in the Brentwood Union Free School District. Other workgroups have focused on areas including after school programs and services, mentor programs, middle level education, safe schools, service learning, student transitions, and social and emotional learning and development.

The Statewide Organizations Group is now in the process of developing a report to be issued to Governor Paterson and to members of the Children’s Cabinet. (The Children’s Cabinet is comprised of 25 members of the Governor’s office and state agencies to make recommendations to the governor regarding effective policies and programs.) The report will include more detailed information regarding the actions and products of the workgroups, as well as position papers developed by various organizations in regard to the four purposes of the Governor’s Summit Initiative. The SAANYS position paper, “Recognition and Calculation of Successful High School Completion” will be included in the report.

For more information regarding the Governor’s Summit on Student Engagement and Dropout Prevention and the Statewide Organizations Group, contact James Viola at JViola@SAANYS.org.