Education Department Announces Additional Virtual Regional Information Meetings to Discuss Review of Graduation Measures in New York State

The State Education Department will resume hosting regional information meetings across the state to gather feedback on what a state diploma should signify to ensure educational excellence and equity for every student in New York, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced today. The virtual meetings are an integral part of Phase I in the Board and Department’s review of graduation measures and will offer opportunities for stakeholders and members of the public to share input. While many meetings were held during Winter 2020, due to COVID-19, the meetings were suspended in March 2020.

“To effectively educate our young people, we need our schools to engage students in meaningful thinking, character development and ensure they have the skills necessary to position them for postsecondary success,” said Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. “We owe it to the students of New York State to provide an education system that is challenging and rewarding but also allows them to show what they have learned using multiple measures.”

“Prior to our meetings being postponed due to the COVID pandemic, we were fortunate to have many meaningful conversations with stakeholders, students and families about what a diploma in our state should signify,” said Commissioner Rosa. “I look forward to resuming our meetings next month and re-engaging with New Yorkers on this important endeavor.”

In July 2019, then-Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and the Board of Regents announced they will create a Blue Ribbon Commission to review the State’s high school graduation measures and explore what it means to obtain a diploma in New York State. The Commission will consider whether adding other measures of learning and achievement could better serve New York’s diverse student population as indicators of what they know and if they are ready for college, careers and civic engagement.  

Regional Meetings

To help inform the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission, the Board of Regents and the State Education Department are gathering input from many partners, including parents, educators, administrators, school support staff, representatives of higher education, the business community and the general public. By holding the meetings virtually, the Department is able to increase participation and make the meetings more accessible for a larger number of interested parties.

Each virtual meeting will be led by the local Board of Regents Member(s) and BOCES District Superintendent or Big Five district staff. The meetings will include the opportunity for attendees to break out into small groups to discuss and provide feedback on each of five guiding questions:

1. What do we want all students to know and to be able to do before they graduate?
2. How do we want all students to demonstrate such knowledge and skills, while capitalizing on their cultures, languages, and experiences?
3. How do you measure learning and achievement (as it pertains to the answers to #2 above) to ensure they are indicators of high school completion while enabling opportunities for all students to succeed?
4. How can measures of achievement accurately reflect the skills and knowledge of our special populations, such as students with disabilities and English language learners?
5. What course requirements or examinations will ensure that all students are prepared for college, careers, and civic engagement?

Stay Informed 

To allow for a transparent and meaningful information gathering process, NYSED has created a Graduation Measures website which will feature updates throughout the process. From the site, you will soon be able to submit public comments via ThoughtExchange and subscribe to receive email updates.  

• Graduation Measures Website: (www.nysed.gov/grad-measures)
• Public Comment email: GradMeasures@nysed.gov 
• Hashtag: #NYSGradMeasures on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.