October 8, 2004

See also: Downlink Sites [nysed.gov]

On Oct. 20, the State Education Department will host the first in a series of public engagements to provide information on the State’s response to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requirements for the development of content standards and annual tests in reading and mathematics for grades 3-8.

This statewide teleconference will be offered to administrators and teachers with curriculum, instruction and/or testing responsibilities for English language arts (ELA) or mathematics. Participants will be provided the following introductory information on these new initiatives:

A status report on the development of grade-by-grade content standards in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics,

An update on the Mathematics Standards Committee work regarding the NYS Learning Standards for Mathematics (Revisited);

An overview of the test formats and administration times for each of the grade 3-8 tests in ELA and mathematics;

Key dates for further development and statewide rollout of the grade-by-grade content standards and multi-year tests for ELA and mathematics;

An initial opportunity to discuss implications and seek answers to questions that will directly impact planning for these initiatives at the regional, district, school building and classroom levels; and

Guidance on how to access up-to-date information and become involved in these initiatives at both the state and regional levels.

Following the presentation by SED, participants at each downlink site will have an opportunity to discuss what they’ve heard and to send additional questions to SED.

The Department is planning to take these next steps following the teleconference to begin to provide more detailed information:

• Distribute DVDs of the teleconference to each public and nonpublic school, including charter schools for future use;
• Provide answers on the website to all questions raised by teleconference participants;
• Distribute statewide to all teachers information on these new initiatives and offer guidance on how to remain connected with and become involved in state activities planned to support this work;
• Provide on websites an informational brochure, entitled “An Introduction to the NYS Grade 3-8 Testing Program”, which provides a description of NYS’s testing program and includes sample test items and generic rubrics for each new test;
• Conduct a series of public forums in targeted regions of the State, including opportunities for the large city school districts to provide more specific details and seek additional comment on the content standards for mathematics and the multi-year testing program;
• Maintain websites to inform the field of major activities and progress regarding these initiatives. See NYS Learning Standards for Mathematics (Revisited) and English Language Arts (ELA) and Grades 3-8 ELA and Mathematics Testing Program currently at www.nysed.gov.

NYSUT's Division of Research and Educational Services serves as the research arm of NYSUT, providing information and assistance to Field Services, to other NYSUT divisions, and to local leaders. In addition, the Division provides a variety of information and workshops to local leaders and to local member organizations.

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