I hope you enjoyed your summer and are looking forward to another productive school year.
I’d like to mention some of the recent changes the Board of Regents and I have made and are eager to see reflected in New York’s classrooms this year.
I’m particularly excited about the ways we will support our schools in two critically important, closely related, areas: educating the whole child and fostering equity throughout the education system.
When we educate the whole child, we help that student succeed in all aspects of life – from academics, to interpersonal relationships, to making smart and healthy life choices.
So, the Regents, the Department and I are focused intently on providing schools with the tools they’ll need to give all students an education that meets these “whole child” principles.
It’s a multi-pronged strategy that involves mental health instruction, social emotional learning, and the creation of school environments that are safe and welcoming for all.
New York recently became the first state in the nation to require mental health instruction for students, and this summer we sent guidance to every school to help them develop curricula and tailor instruction based on their local needs.
We’re also helping schools as they begin to implement policies and programs that promote social emotional learning and a positive school climate.
Social emotional learning tools can help children acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to understand and manage their emotions.
They can also help teachers guide their students to set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
New York’s plan to implement the federal Every Student Succeeds Act is also designed to help schools create an environment that is welcoming to all.
And it’s designed to ensure children have access to a well-rounded, culturally responsive education that supports their social-emotional development.
Fundamentally, New York’s ESSA plan is about fostering educational equity for all, because every child deserves a high-quality education.
We do this by incentivizing districts to provide all students with greater access to advanced coursework – and to work with those students who need more than 4 years to graduate. Our plan also expands the State’s accountability measures beyond just student scores on the State’s math and English tests; provides students with more pathways to demonstrate they can meet the State’s learning standards; and addresses disparities in the way teachers are assigned to schools.
We’ll continue to provide resources throughout the year to help bring our focus on equity to every one of New York’s schools.
One final note about an issue of great interest to many of you – teacher evaluations.
Two years ago, we placed a hold on the use of student performance on State tests in evaluating teachers.
That moratorium continues through the coming school year, and we may ask the Regents to extend it if necessary.
The hold was intended to give us time to explore potential changes to the current evaluation system as we transition to new learning standards.
In February, we sent a survey to the field seeking input on the best way to create a useful evaluation system. More than 20,000 educators responded with thoughtful input and I can’t thank them enough for their participation.
We will continue to engage teachers, principals, parents and the public as we move to develop the system.
This work will not be done overnight, and it won’t be done in isolation. We will take the time to listen and to get it right.
The Regents and I are proud of the work we’re doing to help New York’s schools create positive learning environments in which all students are welcomed and supported.
And I can’t wait to see these changes come to life in our schools.
I wish you all a happy, productive and successful school year.
MaryEllen Elia is New York State Education Commissioner.
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