News and Notes
December 2021
Commissioner Betty A. Rosa
Dear Colleagues,

Happy Holidays to you, your families, and your school communities. As I reflect on another difficult year, I am profoundly grateful for your unwavering commitment to keeping our students safe and healthy while providing them with a high-quality education. More than ever, our children need support from compassionate adults who care about them. The dedication you demonstrate to your students year-round is inspiring and something we should all celebrate. I wish you the very best this holiday season and look forward to continuing our important work in the coming year.

Below, you can find information about the following:

  • Board of Regents Advances Comprehensive $2.1 Billion State Aid Request, and Budget and Legislative Priorities for the 2022-23 School Year
  • New York State Education Department (NYSED) Proposes Changes to Teacher Certification Requirements to Reduce Barriers to Certification While Maintaining Rigorous Standards
  • NYSED Awards $13.36 Million in Grants to Expand Universal Prekindergarten Programs
  • NYSED Announces Nominees for 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
  • Digital Equity Portal Launches in New York State
  • New York State Graduation Measures Review Continues
  • Proposed Federal Waiver for State Accountability Requirements and School Improvement Funding
  • Statement From Chancellor Young, the Board of Regents, and Commissioner Rosa on Incoming New York City Chancellor David Banks
  • New Resources Available on Using ARP ESSER Funds

Sincerely,

Betty A. Rosa
Commissioner
Board of Regents Advances Comprehensive
$2.1 Billion State Aid Request, and Budget and Legislative Priorities
for the 2022-23 School Year
State Aid Request and Budget and Legislative Priorities for the 2022-23 School Year
This week, the Board of Regents voted to advance a proposed $2.1 billion increase in state aid for the 2022-23 school year to support the phase in of Foundation Aid, provide supports for schools, and address longstanding inequities that have been exacerbated during the pandemic. NYSED presented the proposal at the Board of Regents Meeting on Monday, December 13.

In addition, the Board acted on a set of budget and legislative proposals to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and enhance customer service, efficiency, and supports within NYSED for schools, families, and constituents statewide.

A full description of the Board’s 2022-23 State Aid proposal as well as the Regents 2022-23 non-State Aid legislative and budget priorities may be found on NYSED's website.
NYSED Proposes Changes to Teacher Certification Requirements to Reduce Barriers to Certification While Maintaining Rigorous Standards
Proposed Changes to Teacher Certification Requirements
This week, NYSED proposed to modify teacher certification requirements to reduce barriers to certification while maintaining rigorous standards. The proposed changes would eliminate the requirement for teacher candidates to pass the edTPA and replace it with a teacher performance assessment during a candidate’s student teaching or similar clinical experience in a New York State-registered teacher preparation program.

Public comment on the proposal will be accepted through February 28, 2022 via oheregcomments@nysed.gov.
NYSED Awards $13.36 Million in Grants to Expand
Universal Prekindergarten Programs
Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Expansion Grants
NYSED awarded $13.36 million in Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Expansion Grants to 31 school districts across the state, Commissioner Rosa announced this week. The grants enable school districts to increase prekindergarten availability for four-year-old students.

The competitive grants were awarded based on a district’s plan to serve a community’s highest need schools and students, and the level of existing prekindergarten services, among other factors. The list of awardees may be found on NYSED's website.
NYSED Announces Nominees for
2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
high school students in graduation caps and gowns
This week, Commissioner Rosa nominated 25 outstanding New York State high school seniors for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The Presidential Scholar recognition is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.
Digital Equity Portal Launches in New York State
Last week, NYSED, the State Library, and The John R. Oishei Foundation launched the New York State Digital Equity Portal in partnership with Community Tech NY and Cornell University’s New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The first-of-its-kind portal provides an online data mapping tool for communities across the state seeking data on New Yorkers’ ability to access the internet in order to advance digital equity.

The development of the portal draws on existing digital equity work, including NYSED’s “Achieving Digital Equity in New York State: An Outline for Collaborative Change,” and feedback from digital equity advocates across the state to create a resource that is clear, comprehensive, and user-friendly. The NYS Digital Equity Portal allows users to generate interactive snapshots of digital equity resources that will help communities develop strategies for closing the digital divide.
New York State Graduation Measures Review Continues
Graduation Measures in New York State: Participate in the discussion!
NYSED continues to invite public comment on what it means to obtain a high school diploma in New York State and what that diploma should signify to ensure educational excellence and equity for all students. You can participate in the discussion via ThoughtExchange, or register for an upcoming virtual meeting in your region. Please visit our dedicated Graduation Measures website for a full list of upcoming meetings, registration details, and additional information on the Graduation Measures Review initiative.
Proposed Federal Waiver for State Accountability Requirements and School Improvement Funding
NYSED recently accepted public comment on a proposed waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) related to state accountability requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Title I School Improvement Funding.

The waiver request proposes to eliminate some accountability indicator requirements to identify schools for improvement in fall 2022 based on 2021-22 school year results. The waiver request also seeks the ability to use Title I School Improvement funds to support schools in Good Standing that were previously identified as at risk of becoming identified as a Targeted Support and Improvement School prior to the pandemic but were not identified due to pandemic-related disruptions to the accountability system.

The full text of the proposed waiver is posted on NYSED’s ESSA webpage. If the waiver is approved by the USDE, NYSED will propose to the Board of Regents that it adopt amendments to Commissioner’s Regulations to implement the waiver.
Statement From Chancellor Young, the Board of Regents, and Commissioner Rosa on Incoming New York City Chancellor David Banks
We congratulate David Banks on his appointment as the next Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education. As a longtime advocate for culturally responsive education and improved student outcomes, we are confident that Mr. Banks will be a true partner in promoting the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion on behalf of the more than one million students in New York’s largest school district.

David is an innovative leader and an advocate for students of color, families, and the entire school community. We look forward to working with him to ensure that the Department of Education has the support and resources it needs to provide the high-quality learning that all students deserve.

We would also like to thank Chancellor Meisha Porter for her service and dedication to the students of New York City, providing leadership during the COVID pandemic, and thoughtfully planning for the return of students to their classrooms this fall.
New Resources Available on Using ARP ESSER Funds
New resources are available to assist local education agencies (LEAs) in expending their share of New York’s $9 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds in ways that ameliorate the effects of the pandemic on students.

As part of NYSED’s service-oriented approach through technical assistance and the release of guidance documents, NYSED has developed and published a number of resources on the NYSED ARP ESSER website.

Recently added resources include: