September Meeting of the Board of Regents

ESSA State Plan

The NYS ESSA State Plan was adopted by the Board of Regents. After review by the governor for approval, the draft plan was returned without comment providing the path forward for adoption. The ESSA State Plan must now be sent to the USDOE by September 18. The USDOE must approve the plan within 120 days and the NYSED expects to receive comments possibly by December, 2017.

Transfers as a Result of Military Family Moves – A set of new regulations was passed that provide districts, students, and parents flexibility when students transfer into school placements. The new requirements address: enrollment, graduation requirements, placement decisions, excused absences, and residency requirements. Please see the Regent item and regulations at: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12a2.pdf
Physical Education Requirements for Students Transferring into NYS high schools part way through the academic program – Many states have different requirements for physical education. Some students moving into NYS high schools from other states are challenged to fit in the required number of physical education credits for NYS high schools. The new regulations exempt students transferring from other states from the two required units of credit. However, such student must enroll in physical education courses every semester they are registered in a NYS high school. Further information on these new requirements may be found at: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12a2.pdf

Units of Credit for Career and Technical Education in grades 7-8- The Board adopted revised regulations to provide greater flexibility for the 1 ¾ required units of study. The new regulations allow the units of study to be in technology education, home and careers, and any other career and technical education course. Instruction may be provided by teachers appropriately certified in home and career, technology, and CTE. The new regulations go into effect September 17, 2017. For further information on these regulations please see: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12a3.pdf

Homeless Children and Youth – regulations were adopted to conform to new ESSA requirements. The revised regulations; amend definitions, address placement decisions, require immediate enrollment, provide for attendance at same school through the remainder of the school year, and address transportation issues. For further information please see: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12a5.pdf

Next Generation Learning Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics – After two years of work and 750,000 pieces of feedback, the Board adopted the Next Generation Standards. The standards will go into full implementation during the 2018-19 school year.
NYS P-12 Learning Standards for the Arts – the Board adopted the new standards for implementation in July, 2018. NYSED will develop a three-phased implementation phase that will include the following phases: initial transition and awareness, transition and awareness, and implementation and sustainability. The NYS Alliance for the Arts Education will act as a coordinating body for regional professional associations, BOCES, and Teacher Centers.

A new proposal recommends a 4^th pathway for earning a NYS High School Equivalency Diploma (HSE). The new pathway would allow students who have passed any Regents exam in math, ELA, SS, or science to use the passing score in place of the TASC (test of secondary completion). The new pathway is intended to incentivize students to stay engaged in the high school program as opposed to dropping out. In order to access such credits, students must be 17 years old and must not have attended regular full time high school for a 12 month period or be at least 16 years of age and met maximum compulsory age requirements. For more information on this item please see: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12accesd1.pdf