New York State Learning Standards Review Initiative

In March 2008, the Board of Regents announced that it will review New York’s Learning Standards, beginning with the standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and English as a Second Language (ESL). As part of the Board of Regents initiative to review the New York State Learning Standards, six Public Forums were held across New York State during April and May 2008 in Buffalo, Long Island, New York City, Glens Falls, Syracuse, and Westchester. Each featured participation by teachers, administrators, higher education professionals, parents, Board of Regents members, and school board and community members. To read more about the ELA/ESL Standards review, please visit ELA/ESL Standards review.

• ELA/ESL Panel Report to the Regents Steering Committee Word | HTML
  
  
• Standards Review Working Principles Word | HTML
  
  
• Summary Report for the Standards Review Initiative Public Forums Word|HTML
  
  
• Timeline for the review of New York State's Learning Standards Word | HTML
  
  
• Senior Deputy Commissioner's Report to the Board of Regents on New York State Learning Standards Review Structure, October 18, 2007 Word | HTML
  
  
• New York State English Language Arts Learning Standards and the English Language Arts English Language Arts Core Curriculum (2005)
  
  
• The Teaching of Language Arts to Limited Proficient/English Language Learners: Learning Standards for English as a Second Language
  
  
• The New York State Education Department Virtual Learning System (VLS) - VLS offers the full text of New York State's learning standards with their key ideas and performance indicators, and provides resources teachers can use to support preK-12 standards-based instruction
  
  

The Regents adopted the current standards in 1996. They cover the major subjects including the following:

• English Language Arts
• mathematics, science, and technology
• social studies
• the arts
• languages other than English
• career development and occupational studies
• health, physical education and family consumer sciences

In conducting their review of the standards, the Regents seek recommendations from teachers, school administrators, members of the higher education community, business and community leaders, parents, and other state and national experts in each of the content areas.In reviewing the English standards, the Regents will pay particular attention to the standards for early childhood, from birth to age five.

The standards are critically important. They determine the curriculum content and State assessments, including grade 3-8 tests and the Regents Exams. The standards represent the core of what all students should know, understand and be able to demonstrate. Meeting the standards should ensure that students are prepared for college, work and citizenship.

To conduct the necessary work, Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett has appointed Regent Saul B. Cohen, President Emeritus of Queens College, as Chair of the Regents Steering Committee for Standards Review. Dr. Walter Sullivan, former school superintendent and currently Director of the Center for Educational Policy and Practice, is Coordinator of the standards review.The standards review will be supported by State Education Department leadership and curriculum specialists, as well as by national educational advisory organizations.

Steering Committee Members

Contact Information

New York State Education Department
Standards Review Initiative
89 Washington Avenue, Room 320
Albany, New York 12234
Phone: 518.474.5922
Fax: 518.473.4884
STANDARDSREVIEW@MAIL.NYSED.GOV

page revised January 6, 2009

The New York State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities.  Inquiries concerning this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to:

New York State Education Department
Office of Diversity, Ethics, and Access
Education Building, Room 152
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234