February 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Every February, Black History Month affords us the opportunity to honor the rich history, culture, and contributions of the African American community to the fabric of our shared experience as New Yorkers. The New York State Education Department's Office of Cultural Education is thrilled to present an exceptional lineup of exhibits and events for Black History Month 2025. This year’s programming highlights the vibrant tapestry of Black history, culture, and contributions, celebrating extraordinary resilience, transformative excellence, and enduring legacies in New York State and beyond.

This year includes two curated displays and a new exhibit that explores the stories of Black pioneers and civil rights activists, along with engaging programs featuring authors, historians, and performers. Audiences can anticipate thought-provoking discussions, captivating performances, and opportunities to connect with contemporary narratives of progress and perseverance. Central to this month-long celebration is a commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of Black history and its profound influence on shaping the social, cultural, and political landscape of New York and the nation.

I encourage New Yorkers to dive into the rich culture, creativity, and resiliency presented through these events and exhibits. As we honor this vital piece of our State’s history, we look to the future and renew our commitment to ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.



Sincerely,

Betty A. Rosa

Commissioner

The Board of Regents and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) are committed to helping schools across the state as they work to provide a high-quality education to every student, with a focus on equity, access, and opportunity.

The Board of Regents' budget and legislative priorities also highlight the need for four meaningful updates to school aid formulas to ensure access to a world-class education for all.

Learn more about the Regents' budget and legislative priorities for the 2025-2026 school year.

NYSED's Office of Cultural Education recently announced two pivotal appointments that will bolster the Office’s commitment to fostering cultural enrichment and education across the state.

Katlyn Curtin has joined the Office of Cultural Education as Director of Operations, bringing an extensive background in state budgetary and administrative processes and a proven track record of fostering collaboration and innovation.

Jaclyn Keegan brings over a decade of experience in journalism and public relations to her new role as Public Information Officer for the Office of Cultural Education. 

These new hires bring a wealth of experience, innovation, and dedication to their roles, advancing the Office of Cultural Education’s mission to serve New Yorkers with excellence and support the State Museum, Library, and Archives to achieve their ambitious goal of becoming the undisputed leaders in cultural and educational excellence nationwide.

Applications are open for the 2025 Empire State Arts Scholarship Program, providing need-based financial assistance for middle and high school students across New York State to participate in after-school and summer arts programs. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is fully allocated.

In a significant expansion, the 2025 program will shift from a summer-only scholarship to a year-round model, offering consistent funding opportunities throughout both the academic year and summer months. This transition reflects New York State’s ongoing commitment to equity, accessibility, and the development of young artistic talent, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent students from exploring their creative potential.

For more information on the Empire State Arts Scholarship Program, including detailed application instructions and Frequently Asked Questions, please visit the Empire State Arts Scholarship Program website.

The Office of the New York State Attorney General, the Office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and NYSED share a longstanding commitment to safeguarding the rights of all students, including all noncitizen students. The New York State Guidance on Safeguarding the Rights of Immigrant Students highlights and clarifies relevant resources for school districts regarding their obligations under state and federal law. 

The New York State Office of the Attorney General and NYSED have received numerous inquiries from school district officials and organizations regarding the application of Executive Order (EO) 14190 of January 29, 2025, and an EO of February 5, 2025, purporting to restrict K-12 schools from supporting transgender students’ social transition and their access to athletics. These EOs do not affect the rights of transgender students and individuals in New York’s public schools.

Read the full statement regarding transgender students’ rights.

New York’s first ‘Media Literacy’ toolkit for educators will teach students how to spot misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation online.

Following a surge in online hate speech in November 2023, Governor Hochul directed the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to work with experts to develop and distribute an ideologically neutral product that gives teachers resources to help students develop their ability to analyze, evaluate, and assess all forms of media, including information delivered through social media.

The toolkit is the first in a series of resources on media literacy that the Division intends to produce. It serves as a primer for educators throughout New York who want to introduce their students to these concepts.

The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and NYSED will work closely with BOCES across New York to provide professional learning opportunities for educators on how to use these resources to support student media and digital literacy.

The Media Literacy Toolkit is available on NYSED’s Student Support Services website.

NYSED is now accepting applications for the 2025 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). We encourage schools, government agencies, nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, Indian tribal territories, migrant programs, and summer camps to apply to operate Programs within their communities. Last year, 450 sponsoring organizations served meals to young people in need at more than 2,500 locations across the state.

The New York State Museum is excited to offer teachers free, CTLE-eligible workshops in earth science and anthropology, led by distinguished Ph.D.-level scientists.

Carefully designed to align with New York State Learning Standards, these workshops will provide educators with invaluable opportunities to enhance their teaching skills and classroom content. Upon completion of the upcoming workshops, educators can earn up to eight CTLE clock hours. 

Learn more about the earth science workshop.

Learn more about the anthropology workshop.

NYSED, in collaboration with the BOCES and Big 5 school districts, will host a statewide conference, "Uplifting All Students," on March 19th. This event will provide an opportunity for participants to learn how school districts across the state are implementing programs that enhance student identity and overall well-being, partnering with families and communities, and collaborating with a range of stakeholders to support all students.

New York State district and school administrators, leaders, and educators – please register through your local BOCES or Big 5 to attend the conference.

The New York State Museum is thrilling audiences of all ages with a new, dynamic lineup of weekday programs. Visitors can now explore a different public program every Tuesday through Friday—ensuring there’s always something new to discover!

Visit the State Museum to explore, learn, and be inspired! 

At its January 2025 meeting, the Board of Regents honored the winners of the Yavner Award, which recognizes teachers and citizens who have made outstanding contributions to New York State education about the Holocaust and other violations of human rights.

Dr. Daniel Holtzman, Principal of Great Neck North High School, was presented with the 2024-25 Louis E. Yavner Teaching Award for his dedication to cultivating understanding and respect across communities. Through the strong partnership he has forged with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County and his pioneering efforts with “Names, Not Numbers,” a program through which students learn about the Holocaust using oral history and documentary filmmaking, Dr. Holtzman ensures that both students and educators receive invaluable training and experiences.  

The Board of Regents also recognized Jane Pashman, the recipient of the 2024-25 Yavner Citizen Award. As the Long Island Coordinator for 3GNY, an educational non-profit organization founded by grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, she has made it her mission to facilitate programs in schools where third-generation survivors share their grandparents’ experiences. This effort ensures the continuity of these powerful narratives as the number of first-hand witnesses dwindles.

NYSED's Office of Early Learning and the Office of Cultural Education are excited to announce the release of the Cultural Connections Framework and Resource Kit for P-3 classrooms. Cultural Connections is a framework and digital resource kit intended to enhance the ability of New York State classrooms to deeply engage students in STEAM and history through cultural experiences, including the arts, science, and social studies.

This resource recommends ways schools and collaborating partners can connect with cultural institutions for class trips and/or learning experiences that can be brought right into classrooms. Cultural Connections is organized by content area and features a variety of vetted resources. We encourage you to make rich connections with New York State by bringing cultural experiences into the lives of students.

The Cultural Connections Framework and additional information regarding Cultural Education can be found on our Cultural Connections webpage. 

Did you know the New York State Museum has a monthly newsletter?

Sign up to be the first to discover all of the upcoming family-friendly events and children’s activities at the State Museum. From story time and creative crafts to school break week programs and year-round adventures, there’s always something fun and educational happening.

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NYSED kicked off 2025 by honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through an exhibition of student art and essays that reflect his teaching.

Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence inspired 2,221 students from schools across the state to submit their creations for this year's exhibition. The submissions, which include several group projects, mark just the fourth time more than 1,000 pieces of student artwork are on display at the Empire State Plaza in Albany and online for this exhibition.

The New York State Museum recently announced the opening of “Fear Not, We Come,” an exciting new update to its beloved Fire Engine Hall—first opened in 1978. This revitalized, long-term exhibition now showcases additional artifacts from the Museum’s renowned firefighting collection, tells new stories of people who changed the course of firefighting history, and features updated visuals—including a custom mural—to celebrate the unbreakable spirit of New York State’s fire service across generations.

Behind-the-scenes footage, available on the Museum’s Fire Engine Hall webpage, offers a peek at the custom mural created by Museum staff in 2024 to illuminate this new chapter of Fire Engine Hall. This visual centerpiece underscores the Museum’s commitment to telling the ever-burning story of New York’s firefighting heritage in bold, engaging ways.

An exciting new resource is available for educators and students in grades K-5! Skills Enrichment is a fun, personalized learning experience with trusted resources from PBS. The games and videos are packaged into a single, easy-to-use platform to support teacher instruction and allow students to close learning gaps. 

This free website emphasizes Math, English, and Social and Emotional Well-Being lessons for K-5 that align with New York State learning standards. 

Skills Enrichment was developed in partnership with PBS stations WCNY and WPBS. 

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) has launched the NYS FAFSA Ready Training Program, which is designed to equip counselors, educators, and support professionals with the resources, tools, and expertise they need to help NYS students navigate the financial aid process.

The NYS FAFSA Ready Training program covers:

• FAFSA Completion Initiative: Learn how to access available data to identify and assist students who need help completing the FAFSA and TAP.
• Supporting Students Through Their FAFSA: Step-by-step guidance to help students complete the FAFSA successfully, including tips to avoid common errors.
• NYS TAP and DREAM Act Applications: Comprehensive tutorials on application processes, eligibility, and resources to assist students in accessing the state financial aid that they are eligible for.

Each section includes:

• Training Seminars: You can sign up to attend a live training session or view the recordings anytime. The PowerPoint presentations will be available for all training.
• Downloadable Resources: Informational materials on step-by-step guides to help professionals and students navigate the process and complete follow-up tasks.
• Video Tutorials: A growing library of walkthroughs and how-to videos.
• FAQs: A list of Frequently Asked Questions. This list is updated after each live training seminar.

For more information and to register for upcoming training sessions, visit the FAFSA Ready Training Program website or contact HESC at precollegeservices@hesc.ny.gov.

A historically significant collection of lichen specimens believed to have been lost to an 1866 fire was recently rediscovered by Dr. James Lendemer, curator of botany at the New York State Museum. The serendipitous find will allow scientists to reliably reconstruct pre-industrial lichen communities from New York City, a task that up until now was not thought to be possible.

Abraham Halsey published the first checklist of New York City lichens in 1823. It was the first work focused on lichens in North America and one of the earliest botanical works published in America. Halsey’s original collection, paired with Dr. Lendemer’s meticulous research, demonstrates significant ecological change.

The research also illuminates Halsey's remarkable personal journey—a naturalist who faced significant financial hardship yet remained committed to his botanical work. Against all odds, he documented a world that was already beginning to disappear, leaving behind a critical baseline for future scientists like Dr. Lendemer.