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This fall, based on your input and recommendations, we introduced the first in a series of informational e-mails updating you on the latest news and developments of the Board of Regents and the State Education Department that impact the higher education community. Consistent with the subsequent positive feedback we received from the field, we will continue the regular e-mail updates on a pilot basis. Additionally, to supplement the e-mail updates, important information is routinely posted on our home page.

I hope you find this e-mail update to be useful and informative. If you have any questions about any of the items below or would like to provide us with feedback, please contact the Office of Higher Education by phone at 518-474-3862 or by e-mail at hedepcom@mail.nysed.gov. Your input into Department services and activities helps us to remain responsive to the field and to those who rely on the State's outstanding higher education institutions. Thank you for your continued commitment to making New York State a world leader in higher education.

UPDATE: STATEWIDE PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION 2004-2012

Every eight years, the Board of Regents, in collaboration with the higher education community, develops and adopts the Statewide Plan for Higher Education, setting system goals and objectives. The Statewide Plan for Higher Education 2004-2012 is now under development. Regents priorities for higher education serve as the foundation for the Plan, which includes the long-range master plans of the State University of New York (SUNY), The City University of New York (CUNY), and New York's independent and proprietary higher education institutions. We thank each of the four sectors for your comprehensive submissions to this important planning process. At their November meeting, the Regents discussed the latest version of the draft Plan. The Regents have tentatively agreed to hold two public hearings on the Statewide Plan - one in New York City and one in Buffalo. The hearings will be designed to encourage feedback on the Statewide Plan and on the four master plans. The dates and specific locations will be determined in the near future and shared widely with the field.  top

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Publishers and manufacturers of instructional materials that are essential to a student's success in a course of collegiate study are now required to make the materials available in alternate format in a timely manner. Historically, many students with disabilities have not had equal and timely access to the same educational materials used by their non-disabled peers. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations in the form of auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities. Chapter 219 of the Education Laws of 2003 (effective August 15, 2004) further specifies the role of publishers and manufacturers in the provision of instructional materials in needed alternate formats for college students who can not access standard instructional materials because of their disability. A guidance memo with information and technical assistance regarding Chapter 219 was shared with the field.  top

TEACHING AND TEACHER CERTIFICATION NEWS

• Proposed Modifications to Advance Implementation of Regents Teaching Policy
• Teaching Certificate Extensions in Gifted Education
• Mathematics Education
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
• Update on the Supplementary Certificate Proposal
• Teacher Recognition Award Applications Available

Proposed Modifications to Advance the Implementation of Regents Teaching Policy

Consistent with feedback received from the field, at their November meeting, the Board of Regents discussed proposed modifications to the Regents Teaching Policy. Specifically, the Regents are considering moving toward a performance-based system for teacher education programs that continues to require high standards of quality while giving colleges and universities with demonstrated records of performance more discretion and flexibility to develop staffing plans that are consistent with their program designs. Proposed amendments to Commissioner's regulations would provide flexibility regarding the "fixed" percentage of courses that must be taught by full-time faculty in teacher education programs and the requirements stipulating limits on the number of semester hours these faculty may teach for institutions that:

• achieve and continue to maintain the new Regents required accreditation for their teacher education program(s), and
• meet or exceed the established institutional pass rate (now 80 percent) on teacher certification examinations

The Regents also discussed modifications that would provide new teachers with five years (vs. three years) to complete a Master's degree, which is required for Professional certification.

The Regents and the Department greatly appreciate the feedback received through our recent survey of Presidents of New York State colleges and universities with teacher education programs. In addition to comments received through the survey, the Regents are also considering valuable feedback on these policy issues received from the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching (PSPB), Deans of State University of New York Education Programs, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE), the New York State Association of Teacher Educators (NYSATE), and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (cIcu). An Editorial/Op-Ed entitled "Upholding Teacher Standards" was also published in the November 7, 2004 edition of the New York Times. The piece described New York as "a state that has been at the forefront of the national school reform movement since the 1990's, when the Board of Regents began to carry out a sweeping package of changes involving everything from curriculum to testing to graduation requirements." According to the Editorial/Op-Ed, "the Regents should approve a pending proposal that would give teachers five years instead of three [to complete a Master's degree, which is required for Professional certification]. In addition, teachers' colleges that have complied wholeheartedly with the new standards deserve some leeway when it comes to faculty composition and other details."

It is anticipated that the Board of Regents will vote on the proposed amendments in January 2005. We will keep you informed of developments on these issues as they occur.

Teaching Certificate Extensions in Gifted Education

The Board of Regents approved an amendment to Commissioner's regulations deferring until September 1, 2005, the requirement that a teacher must hold a gifted education extension of a teaching certificate, or have obtained from the Department a statement of continued eligibility (SOCE) based upon employment in this field, to provide education to gifted pupils in State funded gifted and talented programs. We have heard from the field that, at the present time, there are not enough opportunities available for candidates to complete the course work they need for this extension. Deferring implementation of the regulations will provide necessary time for colleges and universities to develop and offer qualifying course work and for candidates to complete the course work or obtain the SOCE. For information on developing and offering qualifying course work for the gifted education extension, please contact the Office of Quality Assurance at 518-486-3633.

Mathematics Education

Stemming from the work of the Math A Panel convened by Commissioner Richard Mills and the Board of Regents in 2003, this October, over 80 teacher educators came together with representatives of the Math A Panel and the Mathematics Standards Committee at the fall NYSATE/NYACTE conference to discuss strategies for ensuring that all teachers are prepared to teach to the Regents learning standards in math. Common themes discussed regarding pre-service education included integration of math concepts and pedagogy, increased collaboration between departments of liberal arts and sciences and education, offering courses in technology integration to enhance mathematics instruction, exposing teachers to a more hands-on approach to teaching mathematics, and aligning the Math Content Specialty Test (CST) with best practices in math education. We hope to have similar conversations regionally with practitioners and teacher education across the State.

At the November meeting of the Board of Regents, the Mathematics Standards Committee gave their report on the existing Regents learning standards in mathematics. The Committee proposed replacing the existing New York State Mathematics, Science and Technology Standard 3 and its seven key ideas with New York State Mathematics Standard 3, Content Strands, Process Strands, and Performance Indicators.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

At their November meeting, the Regents discussed a proposed regulation to provide an underlying legal basis for the State Education Department's guidance to local educational agencies on the NCLB requirements relating to qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals. The regulation would require local educational agencies to provide teachers of core academic subjects who are not new to the profession the opportunity to meet the NCLB requirement to be "highly qualified", in part, through passing a high objective uniform State standard of evaluation (HOUSSE). More information on the implementation of NCLB in New York State is available at www.highered.nysed.gov/nclbhome.htm .

Update on the Supplementary Certificate Proposal

To facilitate the State's ability to address teacher shortages in certain subject matter areas and geographic areas, a supplementary certificate has been proposed that would enable certified classroom teachers in areas of oversupply who have earned specific academic credits, passed the Content Specialty Test, and are enrolled in a higher education institution, to provide instruction in a different title in a shortage area. The supplementary certificate would be available only for a limited time, during which time the teacher would be required to complete the balance of course work requirements necessary to qualify for a new certificate in a shortage area. The Regents are expected to vote on this proposal in December.

Teacher Recognition Award Applications Available

Do you know an exceptionally skilled and effective educator in grades pre-kindergarten through 12? If so, please consider nominating the outstanding teacher for the 2006 New York State Teacher of the Year. The deadline for applications is January 14, 2005. Information and an application form are also available for the 2005 Helen Bach Moss Memorial Better Beginnings Award. The award recognizes elementary teachers who are gifted in finding and nurturing the strengths of each student and fostering trusting relationships among pupils, parents, teachers, and administrators. The deadline for applications for the Better Beginnings Award is February 11, 2005.   top

UPDATE: UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX'S REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A CAMPUS IN NEW YORK CITY

The State Education Department has received a request from the University of Phoenix for master plan approval to establish a campus in New York City and to offer five master's degree programs in management areas at that location. In the last edition of our e-mail update, we indicated that we would be holding a public hearing on the University of Phoenix's request. A date for this hearing has not been set as of the writing of this e-mail. We will advise the field once that occurs. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Quality Assurance at 518-486-3633.  top

FOUR NEW MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND COORDINATION WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

The Board of Regents and the State Education Department oversee the preparation, licensure, and practice of the professions. Legislation enacted in December 2002 created four new mental health professions - Creative Arts Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Psychoanalysis. The Department's Office of the Professions will regulate the four new mental health therapy professions, along with forty other professions defined in Title VIII of the Education Law. Regulations to implement the new professions are now under development and the first licenses will be issued in 2005. This law will protect members of the public who seek mental health services by ensuring that mental health practitioners have met entry level standards of higher education, experience, examination, and good moral character before becoming licensed in a mental health profession.

As regulations are developed for the implementation of licensure for Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychoanalysts, and Creative Arts Therapists, the State Education Department, with the assistance of the State Board for Mental Health Practitioners, is coordinating the requirements for licensure with existing programs and program expansions under consideration by colleges and universities. While grand parenting provisions allow some current practitioners to seek licensure under the new law, we will work closely with colleges, universities, and psychotherapy institutes to develop and register new licensure-qualifying programs, once implementing regulations are approved. We will also need to be prepared to support individuals who must complete certain academic course work or clinical training, rather than completing an entire program.  top

DIRECTORY OF NEW YORK STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

The 2004 Directory of New York State Colleges and Universities is organized by sector and provides contact information for institutions statewide.  top

Back to Periodic Updates from Senior Deputy Commissioner Johanna Duncan-Poitier
 

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