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

The P-12 Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on December 12, 2022. All members were present except for Regent Cashin and Regent Hakanson who were both excused.

Regent Reyes, and Regent Mittler also attended the meeting but did not vote on the one action item.   

ACTION ITEMS

BOR-authorized Charter Revisions [P-12 (A) 1] - Department staff presented recommendations for charter revisions for the following charter schools authorized by the Board of Regents:

• American Dream Charter School II (in NYC CSD 6);
• Innova Girls Academy Charter School (in the Rochester City School District); and
• Staten Island Hebrew Public Charter School (in NYC CSD 31).

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: (1) the American Dream Charter School II 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 two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty 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 American Dream Charter School II and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: (1) the Innova Girls Academy 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 two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty 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 Innova Girls Academy Charter School and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

The Committee recommends that the Board of Regents finds that: (1) the Staten Island Hebrew Public 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 two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty 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 Staten Island Hebrew Public Charter School and amends the provisional charter accordingly.

There was a motion to sever American Dream Charter School II from the package of the three schools listed above. The motion carried unanimously.  Regent Tanikawa made the motion, and Regent Turner seconded it.

The members voted on the revisions to American Dream Charter School II. Regent Cottrell made the motion, and Regent Wills seconded it.  The motion carried; Regent Tanikawa voted no.

The members voted on the revisions to the other two charter schools. Regent Cea made the motion, and Regent Wills seconded it.  The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

The 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 13, 2022, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Proposed Addition of Part 123 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Prohibiting the Use of Indigenous Names, Mascots, and Logos by Public Schools [P12 (D) 2] - Department staff presented proposed amendments to the Commissioner’s regulations relating to prohibiting the use of Indigenous names, logos, and mascots to represent public schools, including school sports teams. The proposed rule does not apply to public schools and school buildings named after an Indigenous tribe.

Proposed Amendment of Section 100.5 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to the Individual Arts Assessment Pathway (IAAP) to Graduation [P12 (D) 1] - Department staff presented proposed amendments to the Commissioner’s regulations to establish the IAAP as a +1 pathway to a diploma.

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