At the New York State Education Department (NYSED), we are evaluating everything we do to better support educators, administrators, and students. This week, it was my honor to announce the appointments of two new P-12 Deputy Commissioners as part of NYSED's shift to a more service-oriented approach. Angelique Johnson-Dingle will serve as Deputy Commissioner, P-12 Instructional Support, and Jason Harmon will serve as Deputy Commissioner, P-12 Operational Support. In their new roles, Ms. Johnson-Dingle and Mr. Harmon will help transform the Department from a compliance agency to one of greater support for students, educators, administrators, schools, and other stakeholders. In collaboration with educators and stakeholders across the state, they will implement strategic plans and policies to create safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environments for all students.
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Betty A. Rosa
Commissioner
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As Deputy Commissioner for P-12 Instructional Support, Ms. Johnson-Dingle will oversee the areas of Curriculum and Instruction, Special Populations, including English Language Learners and Students with Disabilities, Early Childhood Education, School Safety, Career and Technical Education, and Expanded Learning Opportunities, among other offices.
Ms. Johnson-Dingle currently serves as the District Superintendent of the Western Suffolk BOCES. She holds two Master of Science degrees, one in Educational Administration and the other in Education from Long Island University and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Lincoln University. Ms. Johnson-Dingle also holds New York State Permanent Certifications in Elementary Education, Reading, and as a School District Administrator. She will assume her new role on March 17.
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As Deputy Commissioner for P-12 Operational Support, Mr. Harmon will oversee the areas of Information and Reporting Services, Accountability, School Business Supports, and Assessment, among other offices.
Mr. Harmon currently serves as NYSED’s Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Accountability and has been with the Department for nearly nine years. He holds a Master of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Arts in History and American Studies from Elmira College. He started in his new role on February 17.
Please join me in welcoming Ms. Johnson-Dingle and Mr. Harmon to their new positions!
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Below, you can find information about the following:
- Commemorating Black History Month
- NYSED Releases 2017 Cohort High School Graduation Rates
- Expanding Access to COVID-19 Vaccination
- New York State Archives Accepting Entries for the 32nd Annual Student Research Awards
- New York State Library Acquires the Research Papers of Award-Winning Lincoln Scholar and Historian Harold Holzer
- NYSED Now Accepting Applications for the 2022 Summer Food Service Program
- Expanded High School Equivalency Testing Options to Be Available in 2022 and Beyond
- Recent Statements from Chancellor Young, the Board of Regents, and Commissioner Rosa
- Commissioner Rosa's Education Budget Testimony
Sincerely,
Betty A. Rosa
Commissioner
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Commemorating Black History Month |
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The New York State Museum offers a variety of resources for students, educators, and the public. The resources include research from historians and scientists, access to digital collections, virtual lessons and activities for the classroom, professional development videos for educators, and information about upcoming public programming related to African American history.
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To further commemorate Black History Month, NYSED and The Education Trust-New York are highlighting students who participate in the New York State My Brother’s Keeper program on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn). The #MyHistoryMyFuture campaign features inspiring quotes from outstanding students who share how the MBK program has changed their lives and their hopes and dreams for the future. We also continue to feature artwork from the New York State Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Art & Essay Exhibit using the hashtags #NYSMLK and #StudentsExhibitingMLK. Both campaigns will run through the end of February.
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NYSED Releases 2017 Cohort High School Graduation Rates |
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This week, NYSED released graduation rates for the 2017 cohort, those students who first entered 9th grade in New York’s public schools in 2017. The overall August graduation rate increased to 86.1 percent, up 1.3 percentage points from 84.8 percent for the 2016 cohort. The 2017 cohort graduation rate is 9.4 percentage points higher than a decade earlier when the 2008 cohort graduation rate was 76.7 percent.
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Expanding Access to COVID-19 Vaccination |
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New York’s nurses have played an essential, indispensable role in responding to the pandemic. School nurses, in particular, have heroically taken on added challenges to ensure the health and safety of students and staff over the last two years.
We would like to provide you with important information about a regulation to allow registered nurses (RNs) to provide COVID-19 vaccines to New Yorkers who choose to be vaccinated. The regulation has been in effect as an emergency rule since October 2021, and it was permanently adopted by the Board of Regents at its February 2022 meeting.
There has been some misunderstanding about this regulation, and it is important to explain precisely what the regulation would and would not allow.
In the case of vaccinating a child, the regulation requires RNs to obtain a parent or guardian’s written permission (informed consent) before the RN may vaccinate a child against COVID-19. The regulation does not allow any RN to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to any child without written permission from the child’s parent or guardian.
The regulation is not specific to school nurses. It is a local school decision whether to allow vaccines to be administered in school (again, only with the written consent from a child’s parent or guardian), whether by the local Department of Health or the school-employed RN.
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New York State Archives Accepting Entries for the
32nd Annual Student Research Awards
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The New York State Archives and Archives Partnership Trust are now accepting entries for the 2022 New York State Student Research Awards program. In its 32nd year, the Student Research Awards program is a statewide historical research competition for students in grades four through twelve. This annual program provides an award to students whose projects are selected as winners in the elementary, middle school, and high school divisions.
All projects must use historical records, contain an annotated bibliography, and be nominated by a mentor. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2022.
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New York State Library Acquires the Research Papers of Award-Winning Lincoln Scholar and Historian Harold Holzer |
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NYSED Now Accepting Applications for the
2022 Summer Food Service Program
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NYSED is accepting applications for the 2022 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Last year, 574 sponsoring organizations served meals at more than 3,000 locations across the state. The SFSP will operate throughout New York State from June 27 through September 5, 2022.
Potential new sponsors may request a sponsor application and obtain additional information on NYSED’s SFSP website.
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Expanded High School Equivalency Testing Options to Be
Available in 2022 and Beyond
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Expanded high school equivalency computer-based testing options will be available to test takers in 2022 and beyond under a contract with the GED Testing Service (GEDTS). The GED exam is a well-recognized test of the academic knowledge and skills needed for college and career readiness as defined by NYSED’s standards for adult education. With its computer-based testing options, GEDTS will provide greater flexibility and increased access to the exam for more of New York’s students. |
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Recent Statements from
Chancellor Young, the Board of Regents, and Commissioner Rosa
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Commissioner Rosa's Education Budget Testimony |
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Commissioner Rosa recently testified at the joint legislative budget hearing on elementary and secondary education and at the joint legislative budget hearing on higher education.
The Commissioner's submitted written testimony is available here:
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