Inaugural Edition of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Newsletter | | |
Dear Colleagues, Students, and Families,
Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion newsletter. This first edition will introduce you to the mission and four key priorities of the office, in addition to providing you with resources, links, and information about the Statewide Leaders Network. In each issue, we will also spotlight district teams who are engaging in inspiring work uplifting student voices, promoting inclusive practices, and building supportive environments for all students.
In our discussions with educators across New York State, our office has focused on strategic collaboration for demonstrating "Courageous Leadership During Challenging Times"; the courage, passion, and unwavering commitment of NYS educators in advocating for all students is incredibly inspiring. Thank you for all that you do every day to ensure that every student feels welcomed, affirmed, and uplifted in our schools...diversity is our strength and our students are our greatest asset and our future champions for justice and dignity for ALL.
In partnership,
Dr. Diane Wynne
Executive Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
| | Background, Office Mission, and Key Priorities | | |
In May 2021, the New York State Board of Regents released its Policy on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This policy emphasizes that “The Regents believe strongly that there is a moral and an economic imperative to remove the inequities that stand in the way of success for whole segments of New York’s student population. Accordingly, the Board expects that schools and institutions of higher education will develop and implement policies and practices that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion - and that they will implement such policies and practices with fidelity and urgency."
The New York State Education Department Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was created with a mission to enhance the capacity of educators and educational leaders to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within New York State schools and institutions of higher education, as highlighted in the Board of Regents DEI Policy. This is accomplished through the provision of direct support, a range of resources, professional learning opportunities to elevate promising practices from across the state, and collaborative networks, with the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) Education Framework at the core of this critical work.
To advance its mission, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is deeply committed to fostering educational environments where every student is valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. Through collaboration, innovation, and sustained engagement with educators and communities, the Office has identified the following priorities:
Priority 1: Engaging as Partners with Educators and Educational Leaders
Meaningful and lasting systemic change requires strong partnerships, shared responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion. The Office will actively collaborate with district superintendents, educational leaders, teachers, and a wide range of agencies and organizations to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across New York State schools and institutions of higher education. While there are well-established best practices in the field, the Office recognizes that each district and region across New York State possesses unique strengths, assets, and challenges. With this understanding, the Office is committed to listening to and learning from local communities to ensure that strategies and recommended action steps are thoughtful, responsive, and tailored to meet the range of needs of schools and the diverse students they serve.
Priority 2: Enhancing Professional Capacity
Creating inclusive and equitable learning environments requires ongoing reflection, learning, and growth. The Office recognizes the importance of expanding self-awareness and strengthening educators’ capacity to implement culturally responsive and inclusive practices that foster meaningful connections with students, families, and colleagues. To support this work, the Office will provide a wide range of professional learning opportunities—including webinars, conferences, workshops, and accessible resource platforms—to empower educators with the knowledge and tools needed to support all students. In addition, the Office will highlight district teams that are engaged in innovative and promising practices, sharing successful strategies being implemented across the state. By elevating these efforts, the Office seeks to inspire continued growth and to encourage the integration of an inclusive and equitable lens in the development of all district policies, practices, and decision-making processes.
Priority 3: Providing Supportive Networks and Fostering Connections
Advancing equity and inclusion in education is both meaningful and challenging work that requires courage, perseverance, and collective support. The Office recognizes the dedication of educators and educational leaders across the state who are committed to creating welcoming and affirming learning environments for all students. To strengthen and sustain these efforts, the Office will cultivate opportunities for connection, collaboration, and mutual support. Through a statewide leaders network and additional channels, individuals leading this work will share ideas, exchange promising practices, address challenges, and learn from one another. By fostering these supportive networks, the Office seeks to build a community of educators united by a shared commitment to equity, inclusion, and the success and well-being of every student.
Priority 4: Evolving and Refining Supports to Reflect Our Shared Diversity
The rich diversity of New York State is one of its greatest strengths, shaping vibrant school communities where students, families, and educators bring a wide range of cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The Office is firmly committed to honoring and celebrating this diversity. As the needs of our communities continue to evolve, the Office will remain responsive and forward-thinking in its efforts to support educators and educational leaders. By continually expanding and refining resources, guidance, and supports, the Office will help ensure that schools across New York State foster inclusive environments where every student feels a sense of belonging and has access to a wide range of opportunities for success. The Office is dedicated to serving as a consistent and steadfast source of leadership, particularly during challenging times. Guided by a deep commitment to equity and the well-being of all students, the Office will remain adaptable and proactive to ensure that the success, safety, and dignity of all students remain at the forefront of our collective efforts.
| | Statewide Leaders Network | | |
The Statewide Leaders Network was created to provide an opportunity for individuals leading diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in districts across New York State to build connections with each other and to provide opportunities for collaboration and support in this critical work. The network provides opportunities for district teams to share initiatives with colleagues across the state and provides a Q and A session after each network meeting where participants can have direct discussion time with NYSED staff.
Based on our statewide survey of network members, our Advisory Council, comprised of educational leaders across the state, facilitates conversations to address key topics at quarterly meetings. The following themes have been identified for the 2025-2026 network meetings:
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Oct. 9, 2025: Combating "Othering" and Cultivating Belong During Challenging Times
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Dec. 11, 2025: Courageous Leadership: Building Bridges of Connection
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March 5, 2026: The Power of Collaboration: Equity Teams and Other Support Models
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May 14, 2026: Topic to be determined
Opportunity to Participate:
This network invites 1-2 representatives from each district to participate, along with BOCES partners. If you would like to know the name of your district representative on the network or are interested in serving as your district's representative, please email DEIOffice@nysed.gov.
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Created through a collaboration with the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, the New York State Archives Partnership Trust, and the New York State Education Department, Teaching the Holocaust and Other Genocides was released in 2025 to support educators across New York State. This collection of resources includes learning activities, readings, case studies, suggested pacing guides, and a variety of additional resources to support diverse learners. Additional support is provided to teachers facilitating lessons on this topic, including social-emotional considerations, considerations for ENL students, and considerations for students with disabilities.
Learning about the Holocaust and other genocides gives students the chance to examine complex and controversial issues in world history. Activities like the ones provided in this resource guide encourage critical thinking by offering multiple perspectives as students analyze documents, explore essential questions, and draw informed conclusions.
As educators support students in becoming reflective and future-focused, engaging in learning about important events in history, including the Holocaust and other genocides, inspires thoughtful discussion about what it means to be human, what responsibilities we have to one another in society, and how we can act individually and collectively to foster communities that affirm the dignity and worth of every human being.
Visit Consider the Source NY: Teaching the Holocaust and Other Genocides for more information.
If your district/region would like a demonstration of the online platform for your teachers, administrators, or regional educator groups to learn ways to utilize these resources, please contact the DEI Office at DEIOffice@nysed.gov.
| | National Updates/Timeline | | The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has created a timeline of key events and decisions in the past year regarding the implementation of programs and policy related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools, which are outlined in the handout below. | | Support for LGBTQ+ Students | |
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was honored to be invited to contribute on a panel at the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) Winter Institute sharing ways to support students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. This panel, comprised of district superintendents, BOCES superintendents, and legal counsel, focused on state guidance, legal guidelines, and real-world experiences of administrators supporting students in a range of regions across the state. The panel ended with the sharing of a quote by one of the facilitators, "You are not just implementing policies; you are helping bend that arc toward justice."
Additional resources are provided below for supporting LGBTQ+ students and families:
| Professional Learning Opportunities | |
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has created videos of previous webinars and the Uplifting All Students Statewide Conference, which are available on our website for review at any time. A total of 21 school districts from across New York State are spotlighted in these videos, sharing a range of practices that elevate student voices as leaders in their communities, utilize culturally responsive-sustaining strategies, and create inclusive learning environments for all students. Videos can be accessed on the Professional Development page:
Statewide Conference and Webinar Series
| | Hastings-on-Hudson School District | | |
High School Students Become Teachers
on Superintendent’s Conference Day
Student leaders recently presented a workshop to all teachers in the Hastings-on-Hudson School District called “Awareness to Action: Student-Led Conversations on Race and Belonging.” Led by students in the High School Affinity Club and Dr. Jenice Mateo-Toledo, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, a group of nine students began with sharing norms for the conversation including the importance of being present, being curious, and taking responsibility for impact. Students then shared a video that they had created about their experiences as students of color in the district. During the video, students demonstrated vulnerability as they shared their experiences, emphasizing that although they have many positive experiences as well, the focus of their workshop was raising awareness of ways that what may seem like “small” words and behaviors can have a significant impact on students and the overall culture of the school. Students also led staff through a teaching exercise and facilitated a discussion about strategies to use in typical scenarios (for example, accidentally calling a student by another student’s name or mispronouncing a student's name). Student leaders gave time for staff members to discuss ways to address these challenges and share out with a group of their peers across grades K-12.
The session ended with reflections, goal setting, and time to consider next steps, with a booklet given to every staff member with materials from the workshop as a way to continue to reflect. The workshop is a powerful example of how impactful student voices and perspectives can be as they lead conversations on ways in which educators can continue to build relationships with diverse students in schools across the state.
| Beacon City School District | |
Students Create Documentary Film About the Diverse History of Their Community
With support from their faculty advisor, and in collaboration with the Foundation for Beacon Schools and the Rise Up Project, a team of Beacon High School students have found new and exciting ways to connect with their community. Under the guidance of local filmmakers and history experts, students learned research and documentary film making skills and conducted interviews with senior Beacon community members to create the film, Lines of Demarcation. As active participants in every stage of production, the students recorded and preserved the lived experiences of Beacon’s Black communities. This project was a critical step in helping students and community members understand both the positive impacts and challenges that specific groups face when the city in which they grew up in begins to change and develop through urban renewal.
On a recent visit to Beacon High School, members of the NYSED Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion met with current students, alumni, teachers, educational leaders, and the producers of the film who shared how meaningful the opportunity to participate in the project had been for them, in addition to the vocational benefits as students learned a range of skills during the project.
Students who conducted interviews shared how deeply impacted they were by hearing from community members about their experiences growing up in the Beacon community and how many changes they have witnessed over the years. The project has provided an opportunity to bring together residents across generations, cultural backgrounds, and experiences, and continues to do so through its screening events within the Beacon community and beyond.
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View video clip of student/community film, Lines of Demarcation, provided by the Howland Public Library below:
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“In these uncertain times, our schools must be community anchors, where dreams take root and voices rise, not with hesitation and doubt, but with purpose, confidence, and conviction. Passivity is simply not an option in turbulent times like these.”
~ Chancellor Lester W. Young Jr.
NYSSBA Onboard Publication, July 2025
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The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is excited to continue to learn about and share inspiring practices from districts and institutions of higher education across the state. Please reach out if you would like us to spotlight inclusive practices, programs, and leadership opportunities focused on uplifting diverse students.
Emails can be sent to: DEIOffice@nysed.gov
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