The New York State Education Department

Office of College and University Evaluation

Answer: All programs must be reviewed and approved as meeting the new standards, including programs registered before 2004. Programs currently registered must be reviewed and re-registered by September 1, 2004, in order to continue operating.

Answer: The programs leading to provisional or permanent certification will be removed from the Inventory of Registered Programs effective September 2, 2006. Enrolled students must complete the programs before that date. Beginning September 1, 2004, institutions should not enroll new students in those programs. Individuals holding SAS provisional certificates that have not expired may continue to qualify for the permanent SAS certificate by providing evidence of two years of school experience in an administrative/supervisory position and a master’s degree.

Answer: The applications are due by May 7, 2004, in the Office of College and University Evaluation (OCUE). The Regents adopted the new standards on July 17, 2003; the Application Form was widely distributed immediately.

Answer: Yes. The additional information includes an evaluation of the proposed program by a recognized expert, selected in consultation with OCUE (two evaluations for doctoral programs); estimated revenues and expenditures for the first five years of the program; and a schedule of course offerings by semester for one complete offering of the program. If the program will be the institution's first graduate program in the field of education, the institution will also need Regents' approval of a master plan amendment. For this purpose, the institution will provide evidence of need for the program in that region of the state and an abstract of the program for use in canvassing other institutions for comments.

Answer:

Review of complete applications for re-registering existing programs received before April 1, 2004, will be completed in two months.

Review of complete applications for re-registering existing programs received between April 1 and May 7, 2004, will be completed in three months; those received after the May 7 due date may not be completed before September 1.

An institution requesting registration of a new program in educational leadership at its main campus or at a branch campus will need to submit the Application and provide additional information. Please call the Office of College and University Evaluation, (518) 474-1551, for assistance.

Answer: The SED application needs to be completed in full. Portions from other applications that are fully responsive to the SED questions and contain current information may be used in the SED application.

Answer: The nine leadership characteristics were developed after several years of deliberation by Commissioner Mills and the broadly representative Blue Ribbon Panel on Leadership. The descriptors for each characteristic have been included within the knowledge and skills to be acquired by candidates in each type of leadership program, under the heading, "Content Requirements." By describing how the knowledge and skills will be developed, the program will indicate how it will prepare candidates who possess these nine characteristics.

Answer: Commissioner’s Regulations require that candidates earn a master's degree by the time they complete a program leading to the initial certificate as a school building leader, and require that master's programs include at least 30 semester hours of graduate study. Education Law 3003 requires that candidates for certification as school district leaders or school district business leaders complete 60 semester hours of graduate study approved by the Department, and Commissioner’s Regulations also require that they qualify for a master’s degree upon program completion if they do not hold one prior to program completion. Each content requirement in 52.21(c) does not necessarily require three semester hours of study.

Answer: It is not required because the Education Law 3003 defines requirements for certification of school district leaders and school district business leaders and does not include passing an examination among the certification requirements for those titles. Commissioner’s Regulation, however, states that institutions must require candidates to pass the State certification test for satisfactory completion of those programs. (Education Law does not define requirements for certification of school building leaders.)

Answer: There are important distinctions among the programs; therefore, separate applications are required. Feel free to copy any sections where the program response is exactly the same as a response for another program.

Answer: NCATE is currently available. TEAC may be available if an agreement between TEAC and SED is reached. RATE may be available if the Regents approve an amendment of Regents Rules to include leadership accreditation.

Answer: This option pertains only to the following provision in clause (b) of the requirements for leadership experiences: "The leadership experiences . . . shall occur throughout the program of study. In addition, they shall culminate in a full-time experience of at least 15 weeks that is structured to provide leadership responsibilities of increasing breadth and depth." An alternative format that is substantially equivalent may be acceptable. All other requirements must be met as set forth in clause (a) of the requirement for leadership experiences.

October 2003