News and Notes
June 2021
Dear Colleagues,
At its meeting this week, the Board of Regents unanimously elected Regent Josephine Victoria Finn to the post of Vice Chancellor. Vice Chancellor Finn, who assumed her new position on June 8, has served on the Board of Regents since 2014. Her work on the Board has always focused on empowering students from all backgrounds to visualize successful futures for themselves and to provide them with a sense of belonging and self-worth.

Vice Chancellor Finn’s unanimous election is a testament to her many accomplishments, and I look forward to continuing our work on behalf of New York’s students, educators, licensed professionals, libraries, and museums. Please join me in congratulating Vice Chancellor Finn!
Vice Chancellor Finn
Vice Chancellor Josephine Victoria Finn
Below, you can find details on other announcements and resources from the New York State Education Department (NYSED):

  • NYSED Submits New York’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Plan to U.S. Department of Education
  • NYSED Identifies Priority Areas to Make Progress Toward Digital Equity Across New York State
  • Board of Regents Recognizes Student Scholarship Awardees, “Write on, NY!” Logo Design Contest Winner, and New York State Green Ribbon Schools
  • NYSED Releases Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Roadmap and Resources
  • New York State Museum Program Now Online: "The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind"

Sincerely,

Betty A. Rosa
Commissioner
NYSED Submits New York’s American Rescue Plan
 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Plan to
U.S. Department of Education

The ARP ESSER State Plan was developed with public and stakeholder input, and it details NYSED’s intentions for the use of federal ARP ESSER funds, as required by USDE. Additional information on ARP ESSER, the State Plan, and public engagement may be found on the NYSED website.
NYSED Identifies Priority Areas to Make Progress Toward
Digital Equity Across New York State
student using a laptop at home
NYSED recently identified priority areas to make progress toward digital equity across New York State. A new report, “Achieving Digital Equity in New York: An Outline for Collaborative Change,” compiles priorities identified during Digital Equity Summits held earlier this year. The Board of Regents and NYSED convened two Digital Equity Summits to establish a shared understanding of digital inequity and create a joint vision toward achieving digital equity in New York State. A third Summit is scheduled for June 15 and will focus on digital equity issues in P-12 education.

The State Library is developing a range of programs to advance the priorities laid out in this report. These programs are part of libraries’ overall work to serve communities during and after the pandemic in bold, creative, and critical ways. 
Board of Regents Recognizes Student Scholarship Awardees,
“Write on, NY!” Logo Design Contest Winner, and
New York State Green Ribbon Schools
scholarship and award winners
At its June meeting this week, the Board of Regents recognized the outstanding New York State students receiving Chancellor Joseph McGovern and Regent Margaret Snow Vander Veer Scholarships.

The Board also announced the winner of the “Write On, NY!” Logo Design contest and honored the New York State Schools named as U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools. Congratulations to all the awardees!
NYSED Releases Culturally Responsive-Sustaining
Roadmap and Resources
Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education
The New York State Board of Regents and State Education Department published the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education Framework in 2018 and have now published a guide for implementation: the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Implementation Roadmap (K-12). The CRS Framework and Roadmap are committed to encouraging equity and inclusion for all the students and families in our state. The Roadmap, developed by a Strategy Committee that included classroom teachers, educators, community partners, and higher education representatives from across New York State, includes action steps and links to free resources for school districts and community groups as they strive to do this important work. As more resources are developed, the Department will continue to expand the resources section of the Roadmap and the CR-S website.

In addition, the Department has posted a set of six CR-S Framework Briefs. The purpose of the briefs is to highlight the important concepts of the CR-S Framework as an introduction for educators, administrators, parents/caregivers, community members, and students. These briefs can be used as a professional development resource that encourages the reading of the CR-S Framework in its entirety.

Questions regarding the CR-S materials can be directed to the Office of Curriculum and Instruction at emscurric@nysed.gov.
New York State Museum Program Now Online:
The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind
Dr. Michael Lucas
The New York State Museum’s program, “The Lives of Enslaved People through the Objects They Left Behind,” is now available online with additional resources for educators.

Join Dr. Michael Lucas as he explores how artifacts excavated at the 18th-century John Bogart House site in Albany provide insight into enslaved individuals and how they claimed some power and control over their own lives through the manipulation of material objects.

Educators can earn 2 hours of CTLE credit by watching the webinar and completing the survey available with the recorded program.