Report of Regents P-12 Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Regents Committee on P-12 Education
Vice Chancellor Finn, Co-Chair, Regent Chin, Co-Chair, Regent Tilles, Regent Cea, Regent Norwood, Regent Cottrell, Regent Wills, Regent Ferrer, Regent Tanikawa, Regent Catania, and Regent Hale.

The P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on March 11, 2024. All members were present except for Regent Roger Tilles who was excused. Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr., Regent Catherine Collins, Regent Luis O. Reyes, Regent Hasoni L. Pratts, and Regent Patrick A. Mannion also attended the meeting but did not vote on the action items.

ACTION ITEMS

Charter School Dissolutions [P12 (A) 1] - Department staff recommended approval for an order of dissolution and consent to judicial dissolution for the following education corporations authorized by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute that have ceased operations, in accordance with Article 56 of the Education Law (the NYS Charter Schools Act).

• Oracle Charter School – SUNY-authorized formerly in Buffalo City School District
• New Covenant Charter School – SUNY-authorized formerly in Albany City School District
• UFT Charter School – SUNY-authorized formerly in New York City CSD 19

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: the provisional charter of the New Covenant Charter School, located in the Albany City School District, County of Albany, State of New York, which was granted by the Board of Regents in September 1999, be, and the same hereby is, dissolved, that notice to such effect be given to the Board of Trustees of the Corporation and the State University of New York Trustees, and that the Board of Regents directs that any student records and/or any remaining assets of the Corporation be transferred, and that any funds remaining in the possession of the Corporation that can be attributed to public funding be distributed, to each school district having resident children served by the charter school in the last school year in accordance with the provisions of Education Law §2851(2)(t), and that, in accordance with Education Law §220, the Corporation shall, within three (3) months of said dissolution, petition the supreme court in the judicial district where the principal office of the Corporation is or was located for an order directing such disposition.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that the provisional charter of the UFT Charter School, located in NYC CSD 19, County of Kings, State of New York, which was granted by the Board of Regents in July 2005, be, and the same hereby is, dissolved, that notice to such effect be given to the Board of Trustees of the Corporation and the State University of New York Trustees, and that the Board of Regents directs that any student records and/or any remaining assets of the Corporation be transferred, and that, to the extent applicable and not otherwise governed by the Memorandum of Agreement dated February 27, 2020, between the Corporation and the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York, any funds remaining in the possession of the Corporation that can be attributed to public funding be distributed, to each school district having resident children served by the charter school in the last school year in accordance with the provisions of Education Law §2851(2)(t), and that, in accordance with Education Law §220, the Corporation shall, within three (3) months of said dissolution, petition the supreme court in the judicial district where the principal office of the Corporation is or was located for an order directing such disposition.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that consent is given to Oracle Charter School to file a petition for judicial dissolution pursuant to Article 11 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, on notice to NYSED.

The motion passed unanimously.  

NYCDOE Chancellor-authorized Charter Revisions [P12 (A) 2] - Department staff presented recommendations for charter revisions from the NYC DOE Chancellor. The NYC DOE Chancellor is recommending that the Board of Regents approve a charter revision for the following charter school authorized by the NYC DOE Chancellor pursuant to Article 56 of the Education Law (the NYS Charter Schools Act):

• Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School (NYC CSD 16) – A merger with Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School II under SUNY as the authorizer.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: (1) Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter Schools meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter Schools can demonstrate the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the request to revise the charter is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of Section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) granting the request to revise the charter would have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the schools operated by Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter Schools, and the Board of Regents therefore approves the charter revision and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

The motion passed unanimously.  

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Proposed Amendment to Section 100.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Student and Parent Notification of Advanced Coursework [P12 (D) 1] - Department staff presented the proposed amendment to the Commissioner’s regulations in accordance with Chapter 335 of the Laws of 2023, which, effective July 1, 2024, requires that each New York State school district and charter school provide notification of the benefits and opportunities of participating in advanced courses. 

Artificial Intelligence in P-12 Education - Department staff and guests presented information on artificial intelligence in P-12 education, including current considerations and potential use of this transformative technology. 

Deputy Commissioner Jason Harmon reviewed the items on the Consent Agenda.