Jump to section: NYSED News/Updates
Important Reminders from the NEW '24-'25 21st CCLC Timeline:
If you haven’t done it already, conduct required, Internal Review/Check-In of Program Service Delivery. Reviews should be done at least twice annually, in the fall and in the spring. This is the opportunity for Program Leaders to observe their staff using a formalized process/protocol while staff are delivering programming to participants; they review the implementation of activities as designed/planned, the performance of staff, and the levels of engagement/targeted responses from participants. This provides valuable formative feedback to integrate into the internal improvement cycle. Additional information about this requirement and the Program Activity Implementation Review (PAIR) is in the Site Monitoring Visit Tool (SMV), Indicator D-2.
Perform Budget Review and submit any Budget Amendments to Survey Monkey Apply, if necessary.
Receive and review Local Evaluator’s Interim Report. Share information with stakeholders and integrate actionable findings and recommendations into the ongoing internal improvement cycle.
Participate in the required Program Directors’ Mid-Year Report. Submit responses to NYSED’s online survey by February 28, 2025. This information is used by the NYSED Program Office to review program progress, and to select useful, summary findings available to all statewide stakeholders in the Program Directors’ Progress Brief.
Convene 3rd Advisory Board Meeting. Include all stakeholders. Topics might include review of program progress and achievement of interim goals/mid-year benchmarks, reflect on internal review of staff performance/participant engagement findings, integrate evaluation findings into continuous improvement plans.
Respond to MI Inventory of interest in participating in Spring Phase II SEL Pilot Study TBD
EZReports Guidance
Fall 2024 participation and activity data should have been entered into EZReports by December 31, 2024. If you are having trouble accessing the student data you need, please utilize the following documents on the TARC website and let your TARC know if you need any additional assistance:
PD/Events
REQUIRED - Spring Conference - Friday, May 2, 2025
The Spring 2025 Conference will be held in conjunction with New York State Network for Youth Success’ Empower Youth Success conference. Friday, May 2, 2025 is mandatory for all 21stCCLC Program Directors; our portion of the conference is free but if you would like to take advantage of the additional offerings make sure you have included it in your budget as there is a fee for the other days. Click here for full details for registration and hotel reservations!
These are non-required PD/events that may interest you:
On Demand:
Office of Early Learning Releases Webinar Series on the P-3 Instructional Approach
The Office of Early Learning has released a series of recorded webinars on the P-3 Instructional Approach, which aims to enhance coordination from PreK through 3rd grade and beyond by ensuring horizontal and vertical consistency across grades. The four webinars include:
P-3 Instructional Guidance Toolkit Overview
Effective P-3 Instruction
Supporting & Strengthening P-3 Instructional Practices
How to Begin a P-3 Approach
These recorded webinars feature first-hand examples from school districts across New York State on how they have implemented the P-3 Instructional Approach.
The P-3 Instructional Guidance Toolkit and all recorded webinars are available on the Office of Early Learning’s PreK-3rd Grade Learning Continuum webpage.
Please reach out to the Office of Early Learning at OEL@nysed.gov with any questions.
Various Dates:
New York State Museum offers online opportunities for CTLE credit
Did you know the New York State Museum offers online opportunities for CTLE credit? Click here for more information.
This month's featured CTLE program is "You Are What You Eat: How Chemistry Informs About Ancient Ecosystems."
The fossils of ancient animals contain clues to how they lived. Dr. Robert S. Feranec, Curator of Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology, will discuss how he uses different chemicals in fossilized teeth and bones to understand how and where ancient animals lived, and how that may have changed over time. Access the program here.
Educators can apply now for the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE’s) 2025-26 School Ambassador Fellowship Program.
This program enables outstanding teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other school-based professionals to bring their expertise to the agency and expand their knowledge of the national dialogue on education. In turn, fellows facilitate the learning and input of other educators and community members.
Applicants may choose to apply as Full-Time Fellows (take a leave of absence from their districts and support the USDE’s efforts remotely on a daily basis) or as Part-Time Fellows (continue serving in their districts while working with the agency up to 10 hours a week).
The application closes on January 13, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Questions can be directed to Orman Feres at orman.feres@ed.gov or (202) 453-6921.
1/23: Professional Development (Zoom Meeting): Unpacking CISA's Anonymized Threat Response Guidance Toolkit
Thursday, January 23rd from 9:00am-12:00pm
In September 2024, the United States Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, to help local education agencies and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats from assessment to response. The purpose of this 3-hour session is to provide an overview of the CISA Anonymized Threat Response Guidance, highlight key ideas, embed opportunities for personnel networking, and support current school and district policies around cybersecurity and emergency operations planning.
On-Going Offering:
Self-Paced Professional Development
We're happy to remind you that 21C subgrantees have access to a number of free, self-paced courses through our partnership with Change Up Learning! Each course takes approximately 1-1.5 hours to complete, offers a Certificate of Completion (with SACC credits), and features resources you can utilize at your site.
As you wrap up programming in the next few weeks and prepare to kick off a new year, consider exploring the topics below to support your youth development efforts.
Gain tools to build design intentional activity plans: OST Alignment – Curriculum + Lesson Plans (includes a customizable lesson plan template - preview here!)
Level up academic engagement and STEM activities: OST Alignment - Academics or Educational and Fun Project-Based Learning
Learn ways to promote positive engagement and navigate challenging behaviors: Positive Behavior Management
Get started today!
If you’re based in NYC, activate your account here.
If you’re based in the rest of NY state, activate your account here.
Resources
National Technical Assistance Center has launched their new website and monthly newsletter
Be sure to visit the website, and also sign up here to have access to out-of-school time resources. Check out these gems about inclusion and literacy instruction from their December newsletter:
Prioritizing Inclusion in Your OST Program
A new brief from the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) offers strategies to help all students — including English learners, students with disabilities, and highly mobile youth — thrive in OST programs. Key takeaways:
Focus on students’ strengths rather than their deficits.
Create a sense of belonging by involving students in decision-making and goal-setting.
Use trauma-informed practices to build trust, safety, and confidence.
Personalize family engagement activities to reflect their unique backgrounds.
Partner with schools to share resources, data, and services (like professional development and mental health providers) that support equity.
Proven and Innovative Ways to Strengthen Students’ Vocabulary Today
Students need 12-14 exposures to a word to fully learn it, according to the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities — and flashcards aren’t the only option!
Explicit Instruction: Teach word meanings directly and provide strategies for independent learning. Use activities like discussion, writing, and reading to reinforce new words.
Multiple Exposures: Practice words across subjects. Encourage students to hear, speak, read, and write new words in meaningful contexts.
Prioritize Words: Select words carefully, using resources like this one from Reading Rockets for evidence-based strategies.
Use methods like the Frayer model, semantic maps, or vocabulary maps with definitions, synonyms, visuals, and prompts to deepen understanding.
Explore more strategies in our Literacy Toolkit and Embedding Academics Into Enrichment Activities training module.
New York State Procedural Safeguards Notice for Students with Disabilities
The New York State Education Department Office of Special Education (OSE) has posted the May 2024 Procedural Safeguards Notice in 5 additional languages (Italian, Korean, Polish, Somali, and Yiddish), for a total of 15 languages, consistent with the New York State Language Access Law.
As a reminder, the May 2024 updates included both minor technical edits and formatting changes along with several substantive changes. The substantive changes include the:
addition of a section on accelerated relief (pgs. 26-27);
removal of the prohibition of attorney fees for special education mediation;
highlighting special education mediation as a dispute resolution in a standalone section (pgs. 13-14); and
change in hours of alternative instruction at the elementary and secondary level (pg. 33).
The Procedural Safeguards Notice is available in English and 15 other languages on the OSE website.
As a reminder, the Procedural Safeguards Notice must be provided to parents of a student with a disability at a minimum of one time per year and upon:
initial referral or parental request for evaluation;
request by a parent;
the first filing of a due process complaint notice to request mediation or an impartial due process hearing;
a decision to impose a suspension or removal that constitutes a disciplinary change in placement; and
receipt of a parent’s first State complaint in a school year.
Questions relating to the Procedural Safeguards Notice may be directed to the OSE Special Education Policy Unit at (518) 473-2878, speced@nysed.gov, or the Special Education Quality Assurance Office in your region.
Sign Up to Receive TEACH New York’s (TeachNY) Resources
Since launching in March 2024, NYSED-led TeachNY has inspired prospective teachers to explore the teaching profession. The initiative provides free support for individuals interested in becoming certified educators through advertising, an online platform, virtual/in-person programming, and financial aid resources.
All school districts in New York State are welcome to join us for an introductory information session about TeachNY. As a leader in your district, we encourage you to attend and discover how NYSED can assist with your teacher recruitment initiatives. During these sessions, we will provide an overview of various resources available to your district, including toolkits and surveys. We look forward to seeing you there!
TeachNY’s resources and support for districts are free!
We will offer four “Learn About TeachNY” sessions for district leaders, principals, and human resources directors. Please sign up here, and you will receive a link.
Not able to attend on one of these dates? Please contact Proudy Bailey, TeachNY’s Regional Program Manager, to receive access to TeachNY’s recruitment resources.
For questions, please email OTLD@nysed.gov.
Announcing 'Dual Impact: A Vision for Developing the Out-of-School Time Workforce' — new paper published by Change Impact
Based on the latest data suggesting there are 20.4 million youth enrolled in after-school and summer programs, there are at least 2 million professionals working in formal out-of-school time (OST) programs nationwide (not including formal and informal child care staff, teachers, sports coaches, and others who also support young people in a variety of settings).
OST staff have long been characterized as transient, with little pay and a lack of growth opportunities being blamed for high employee turnover and staffing shortages. Without enough staff, we know young people’s learning and enrichment experiences suffer. Lacking a full staff can cause activities to be removed from the schedule and, in some cases, programs are forced to limit enrollment, closing kids out of programs all together.
Dual Impact: A Vision for Developing the Out-of-School Time Workforce provides a framework for redesigning part-time, entry-level OST jobs as a workforce development program. As shown in our interactive career mapping tool and career pathways infographic, OST roles can lead to many career opportunities within and beyond the OST sector. Restructuring entry-level jobs as part of an upskilling and workforce preparation experience will support junior staff to build strong foundational skills and inspire them to stay in the sector. It can also boost staff morale and performance for those folks who are planning to move on to an aligned career pathway outside of the sector. This approach acknowledges that managing large numbers of entry-level OST staff requires more resources than those currently invested to achieve both program and staff success.
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