Report of Regents Higher Education Committee to The Board of Regents

Your Higher Education Committee held its scheduled meeting on March 21, 2016.  All members were present with the exception of Vice Chancellor Bottar and Regent Cea who were absent and excused.

Action Items

Adoption of a New Subpart 80-6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to Implement Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2015 Relating to the Registration Process for any Holder of a Certificate that is Valid for Life (Permanent, Professional and Teaching Assistant Level III) and the Establishment of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) Requirements for Professional and Teaching Assistant Level III Certificate Holders.  
Your Committee discussed the regulations to implement Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2015 relating to the registration process for Permanent, Professional and Teaching Assistant Level III certificate holders and to establish continuing teacher and leader education requirements for Professional and Teaching Assistant Level III certificate holders.  Your Committee recommends that a new Subpart 80-6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be added, as submitted, effective March 22, 2016, as an emergency action upon a finding by the Board of Regents that such action is necessary for the preservation of the general welfare in order to timely implement the provisions of Subpart C of Part EE of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2015 to ensure that teachers and school leaders are provided with sufficient notice of the new registration requirements and to ensure that there are a sufficient number of approved sponsors by July 1, 2016 so that teachers and leaders can comply with the new continuing teacher and leader education requirements by the statute’s stated effective date.  If approved by the Full Board, the proposed amendment will become effective as an emergency rule on March 22, 2016.  It is anticipated that the proposed amendment will then come before the Full Board of Regents for adoption as a permanent rule at the June 2016 Regents meeting.  HE (D) 1

Proposed Amendment of Section 52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Minimum Admission Standards for Graduate-Level Teacher and Educational Leadership Programs and Requirements for the Suspension and/or Deregistration of Certain Programs with Completers Who Fail to Achieve a Minimum Pass Rate on Certification Examinations for Three Consecutive Years.
Your Committee discussed the proposed amendment to Section 52.21 of the Commissioner’s Regulations to require graduate-level teacher and educational leadership programs to establish minimum admission standards and requirements for the suspension and/or deregistration of certain programs with completers who fail to achieve a minimum pass rate on certification examinations for three consecutive years.  The proposed amendment was discussed by the Higher Education Committee and was adopted as an emergency action at the September 2015, December 2015 and January 2016 Regents meetings, effective September 21, 2015, December 20, 2015 and February 14, 2016, respectively.  A Notice of Emergency Adoption and Proposed Rule Making was published in the State Register on October 7, 2015.  Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents take the following action: VOTED: That clause (l) of subparagraph (i) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be added, and that subclause (3) of clause (b) of subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education be renumbered as subclause (4) and a new subclause (3) be added, as submitted, effective April 6, 2016.  HE (A) 2

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

Madam Chancellor and Colleagues:  Your Higher 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 March 21, 2016, copies of which have been distributed to each member of the Board of Regents.

Consent Agenda

The Board of Regents will take action on the following consent agenda items at their March 21, 2016 meeting.

• Appointments and Reappointments to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System Board. BR(CA) 2
• Conferral of Degrees:  Elim Bible Institute and College, Everest Institute, New York Graduate School of Psychoanalysis, and New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. BR (CA) 4
• State University of New York College of Technology at Farmingdale: Regents Authorization to award the Master of Science (M.S.) and Master Plan Amendment for an M.S. in Technology Management. BR (CA) 3