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

Your P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on December 14, 2020.  All members were present except Regent Finn, who was excused.

ACTION ITEMS

Proposed Amendment to Section 100.2(c) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to Implement Erin’s Law [P-12 (A) 1]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents amend current regulations, effective December 15, 2020, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the public health and general welfare to immediately align the Commissioner’s Regulations with Erin’s Law.

The motion passed.

Approval of the K-12 Learning Standards for Computer Science and Digital Fluency [P-12 (A) 2]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approve the proposed learning standards for the new discipline of Computer Science and Digital Fluency.

The motion passed.

Revision Recommendation for Charter School Authorized by the Board of Regents – Rochester Academy Charter School [P-12 (A) 3]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents find that: (1) the charter school meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the charter school can demonstrate the ability to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the request to amend the charter is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision 2 of Section 2850 of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) granting the request to amend the charter will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents, therefore, approves the charter revision for Rochester Academy Charter School and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

The motion passed.  Regents Cashin, Collins, and Reyes abstained.

Charter Schools: Initial Application Authorized by the Board of Regents [P-12 (A) 4]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents find that: (1) the proposed charter school meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the applicant can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) granting the application is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision 2 of Section 2850 of Article 56 of the Education Law; and (4) granting the application will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the charter school, and the Board of Regents approves and issues a charter to Citizenship and Science Academy of Rochester Charter School, and amends the provisional charter of the education corporation Science Academies of New York Charter Schools to permit the operation of such school for a term of five years, in accordance with §2851(2)(p) of the Education Law.

The motion passed.  Regents Cashin, Collins, and Mittler abstained.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

Mr. Vice Chancellor and Colleagues: Your P-12 Education Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee's deliberations at its meeting on December 14, 2020, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Proposed Amendments to Section 100.5(h) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Requirements for Awarding the New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB or “the Seal”) [P-12 (D) 1]

Your Committee discussed amending current regulations relating to requirements for awarding the NYS Seal of Biliteracy to be consistent with the description of the English Language Arts course requirements and to replace the current list of approved World Language assessments and required scores with a statement authorizing the Commissioner to approve assessments that will apply toward the current requirement. These amendments will allow the opportunity for more students to earn the Seal.

Revision of New York State Learning Standards in Languages Other Than English (LOTE) [P-12 (D) 2]

Your Committee discussed revising the New York State Learning Standards in Languages Other Than English (LOTE) and renaming them the New York State Learning Standards in World Languages.

Proposed Amendment to Sections 100.2(cc), (gg) and 120.3(a) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Uniform Violent or Disruptive Incident Reporting System, Also Known as the School Safety and Educational Climate Report [P-12 (D) 3]

Your Committee discussed amending current regulations relating to the Uniform Violent or Disruptive Incident Reporting System, also known as the School Safety and Educational Climate Report, to alleviate confusion around a number of the categories, their definitions, and how they are weighed in calculating the School Violence Index.

Proposed Amendments to Sections 100.2 and 119.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Implementation of the Crown Act [P-12 (D) 4]

Your Committee discussed amending current regulations relating to the implementation of the Crown Act.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Regents approved the following consent agenda items at its December 14, 2020 meeting:

• Proposed Amendment to Section 170.14 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Financial Transparency Requirement Reporting Deadlines (Permanent Adoption)

• Proposed Amendment to Section 135.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Eligibility for Participation of Students Who Have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Plans in Interschool Competition and Inclusive Athletic Activities (Permanent Adoption)

• COVID-19 Part IV & Reopening: Proposed Amendments to Sections 80-5.3, 80-5.4, 100.1, 100.2, 100.5, 100.6, 100.10, 117.3, 136.3, 145-2.1, 151-1.3, 154-2.2, 154-2.3, 156.3, and 200.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Addressing the COVID-19 Crisis and the Reopening of Schools
   
• COVID-19 Part V & Reopening: Proposed Amendments to Sections 52.21, 79-8.5, 100.5, and 154-2.3 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Addressing the COVID-19 Crisis and the Reopening of Schools