June 2015 – In This Issue
In the Spotlight...
Left Column:
Right Column:
New NYS Education Commissioner
The New York State Department of Education has a new Commissioner, native
New Yorker MaryEllen Elia. To learn more about her, click
here.
Board of Regents Votes on Standardized Testing and Teacher
Evaluations
The NYS Board of Regents approved regulations to have teacher evaluations
based in a 50/50 split between standardized tests and local tests. There
will also be an extension process for districts with hardships. Read more
here.
US Surgeons General Call for Better Sex Education
Three former United States surgeons general have issued a call for the
US to renew its national commitment to sex education. They state that
“70 teenagers become pregnant,
1,100 youth acquire an STD and
one
young person contracts HIV” per hour in the US. Read the full article
here.
There are a number of legislative debates occurring before the NYS Senate and Assembly break the week of June 17. Keep an eye on the following issues impacting youth and families:
Parental Choice in Education Act (formerly known as Education Investment Tax Credit)
This bill is supported by the Governor, but opposed by NYS School Boards
Association, NYSUT, the Alliance for Quality Education and NYS Council of
School Superintendents. Find out more
here.
Enough is Enough
An agreement has been reached on the “Enough is Enough” legislation, which
focuses on policies related to college campuses and sexual assault. To learn
more about this legislation, click
here.
Education Conference Board Advocates to Change Tax Cap
The New York State Educational Conference Board (NYSECB) is a coalition of
the major education organizations, uniting parents, teachers, school
administrators and school board members to work together to enhance and
improve the quality of education in New York. Governor Cuomo is
pushing lawmakers to make the tax cap permanent, while the ECB has
recommended four significant reforms to the legislature. Click
here to read more.
Education Reforms
Legislation is pending to allow the NYS Education Department to extend the
deadline for school districts to install new teacher evaluations from
November 2016 to November 2017. Read the bill
here.
Twice Exceptional Students
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The US Department of Education has sent a memo to all state directors of
special education detailing their responsibilities toward “twice
exceptional” students. According to federal officials, these students are
entitled to special education services, even if they are cognitively gifted.
NYSED has released a memo to all school districts in New York. Read it
here.
Special Education Resources for Parents
The Center for Parent Information and Resources has a lot of information for
parents on a variety of special education topics. To access more
information, click
here.
Graduation and Transition
June is a big month for changes. Many kids with disabilities will graduate
and go to post-secondary education settings, while others will choose some
type of employment. Transition is not a dirty word.
Disability.gov has great guide for students and their parents
here.
NYS Ban on Fracking Will Continue
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) states
that New York intends to continue its ban on hydrofracking. The DEC’s
review of the potential adverse effects of fracking was more extensive than
a recently released study by the US Environmental Protection Agency. To read
more, click
here.
A recently published study has shown that kids with autism demonstrate physiological changes after playing with animals. The children displayed a sharp drop in anxiety and social stress. Additional information can be found
