1. Nominations and Elections
Who’s Who of
Education and Policymaking
Catherine M Romano
NYS PTA Education Coordinator
Suffolk Region
Fall Conference 2015

2. Layers of Education Law, Policy, Regulation
Nominations and Elections
Layers of Education Law, Policy, Regulation
US Department of Education
Congress
President
Governor Cuomo/ NYS Legislature
Board of Regents/NYS Education Department (NYSED)
Justice Department
At the Federal level the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) originated with Lyndon Johnson provided Title funding directed toward services for the poor, rural areas, English Language Learners, Teacher professionalism. It was reformulated as No Child Left Behind in Bush Era embedding school accountability, 3-8 testing, highly qualified teachers and 100% proficency by When 2014 goals were not to be met, Obama enacted state waivers for flexibility in meeting targets and the federal grant Race to the Top which funded high state standards (CCLS), school turnaround of lowest 10% schools/districts, educator evaluations (APPR), statewide student database. ESEA funding is annually delivered in Federal Budget discretionary funding negotiations, RttT funding has ended. Other federal education grants include Head Start, 21st Century Community Center Learning Grants (afterschool and extended schooling), School nutrition, Safe and Drug Free Schools, etc.
USDOE oversees FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act); Higher Education Act; WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act); What Works Clearinghouse (research studies)
Governor Cuomo following Governor Patterson enacted laws affecting education within the state budget proposal, which has extended the powers of the Executive branch. NYS Legislature may propose legislation to amend or adjust proposals, but must ensure the ability to override a Governor’s veto. NYS legislature adjusted the APPR elements of RttT, enacted the GEA, and determines state aid distribution. The legislature may enact mandates such at Meningitis vaccine mandate, mandated CPR education, NARCAN, teacher evaluation structures, etc.
Board of Regents and NYSED enacts school regulations and requirements, certifications, authorizes school programs, oversees higher education and professional programs.

3. Nominations and Elections
Federal Level
House of Representatives, Education and the Workforce John Kline
Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions leader Lamar Alexander
Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education leaving and replacement John King Jr.
and

4. New York State Legislature
Nominations and Elections
New York State Legislature
Governor Cuomo
Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, Education Chair Senator Carl Marcellino
Assembly Leader Carl Heasite, Education Chair Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan

5. New York State Board of Regents
Nominations and Elections
New York State Board of Regents
Chancellor Tisch, Vice Chancellor Bottar
Regent Tallon, Tisch, Bendit, Rosa, Young, Cea, Norwood, Cashin
Regent Cottrell, Brown, Finn, Chin, Ouderkirk, Collins, Johnson
Named by legislative district, oversee preK – Higher Education, professions, libraries and museums

6. NYS Education Department
Nominations and Elections
NYS Education Department
Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, Associate Commissioner Beth Berlin
Senior Deputy Jhone Ebert, from Nevada

7. Justice Department Supreme Court Court of Appeals District Court(s)
Office of Civil Rights
State Court Systems
Public Employee Relations Board

8. Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES)
Superintendent/ Chief Executive Officer
Board
Cabinet Staff
Schools/Programs Staff

9. Superintendent and School Board
Nominations and Elections
Superintendent and School Board
District Policies
Regulations
Code of Conduct
Curriculum
Tenure
Budget
Discipline Cases
Policy adoptions are “read” or provided usually at two meetings before being voted.The public reading, is the opportunity to comment on policy. District website or paper version of policy is supplied by District Clerk.
Regulations are drafted and implemented by Superintendent.
Code of Conduct is developed and annually approved using guidelines, by a collaborative team of parents, teachers, principals and community members
Curriculum is designed by administrators and educators (teaching staff), sometimes in conjunction with student and parent input
Tenure is determined by recommendation of Superintendent for School Board approval
Budget is developed publically, overall expenditure adopted by Board of Education to be approved by communities
Discipline cases are heard and discussed in Executive Session of the Board of Education and Superintendent, outcomes often voted in open session without citing names or details

10. Governors Common Core Task Force
Nominations and Elections
Governors Common Core Task Force
Review and reform the Common Core State Standards;
Review New York State’s curriculum guidance and resources; 
Develop a process to ensure tests fit curricula and standards;
Examine the impact of the current moratorium on recording Common Core test scores on student records, and make a recommendation as to whether it should be extended;
Examine how the State and local districts can reduce both the quantity and duration of student tests, and develop a plan whereby districts include parents in reviewing local tests being administered to analyze those tests’ purpose and usefulness; and
Review the quality of the tests to ensure competence and professionalism from the private company creating and supplying the tests.

11. NYSED
Commissioner Elia Standards website Common Core Survey Standards, Data, and Support website

12. NYSED
Board of Regents and meetings School Accountability Data

13. Methods of Influence Relationship Matters Protests and Press Events
Observe meetings/ attend events
Personal meetings, letters, s, phone calls, social media messages
Research issues and positions
Testimony/ Hearings/ Official letters
Petition, letter/social media campaign
Relationship
Matters
Protests and
Press Events

14. Issues and Concerns
Let’s discuss positions, issues, concerns Where to go to keep up? – blog, advocacy, benchmark s