Plugged In To Education – October 27, 2020

What’s Inside

  • Update on CARES Act Funding for Schools
  • SUNY Adopts System-Wide Policy for Testing Prior to Thanksgiving Break
  • Regional Meetings on Substantially Equivalent Instruction for Nonpublic School Students Announced
  • OCFS Announces New Policies to Promote Racial and Social Equity
  • State Ed Increases Flexibility for Preschool Special Education Programs
  • Department of Health Releases New Visitation Restrictions for Congregate Facilities
  • New COVID-19 Guidance
  • NYS Register
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Coming Up

Update on CARES Act Funding for Schools

The State Education Department released a memorandum providing updated information on federal funding allocated to New York State under the CARES Act. The memo provides revised instructions for eligible LEAs on applying to the Department for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) and Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds (GEER).

SUNY Adopts System-Wide Policy for Testing Prior to Thanksgiving Break

State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor Jim Malatras announced today that SUNY has adopted a policy mandating all students using on-campus facilities in any capacity test negative for COVID-19 within the 10 days prior to leaving campus, meaning about 140,000 students will be tested over a 10-day period. In addition, colleges will be required to work with their county health department to isolate or quarantine any residential student who tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to COVID-19 within 14 days of the closing of the fall semester.

Regional Meetings on Substantially Equivalent Instruction for Nonpublic School Students Announced

The State Education Department announced that it will hold a series of regional meetings to engage and gather input from stakeholders in the religious and independent school community, as well as their counterparts in public schools, to inform policy decisions related to the substantial equivalence of instruction in nonpublic schools as required by Education Law Section 3204(2). A virtual meeting will be held for each region to include public and nonpublic school stakeholders, members of the Board of Regents, and Department staff.

OCFS Announces New Policies to Promote Racial and Social Equity

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has directed local departments of social services statewide to implement two policy changes at key decision-making points in the child welfare continuum to reduce racial disparity and disproportionality in child welfare. In the Blind Removal Process, all demographic information will be hidden from decision makers to prevent implicit bias from unintentionally impacting a removal decision. The second policy, the Kin-first Firewall, is a “second look” at every child who is removed from their home to ensure that all steps have been taken to make the first foster placement a kinship placement that is safe, appropriate and in the child’s best interests. The directive for the Blind Removals Process can be found here. The directive for the Kin-First Firewall Practice can be found here.

State Ed Increases Flexibility for Preschool Special Education Programs

The New York State Education Department released a memorandum outlining their determination that there are circumstances when mealtime may be counted as part of the daily instructional schedule for Preschool Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SCIS) and/or Special Class (SC) programs for three and four-year-old preschool students with disabilities.

Department of Health Releases New Visitation Restrictions for Congregate Facilities

Last week the Department of Health released guidance to inform operators of congregate facilities, including state or local agencies, or not for profit service providers of limitations on visitation in residential congregate settings located in “red” and “orange” zones subject to Cluster Action Initiative restrictions. Residential congregate facilities for purposes of this guidance include facilities run, licensed or regulated by OPWDD, OASAS, OMH; residential treatment centers run, licensed, or regulated by OCFS; and juvenile justice facilities.

New COVID-19 Guidance

Lower Ed

Higher Ed

Human Services

NY Forward Guidance for Child Care Programs in Schools – October 19, 2020

NYS Register October 21, 2020

Proposed Regulations- 60 Day Comment Period 

Adopted Regulations

Funding Opportunities

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of Student Support Services is seeking proposals for the New York State Center for School Health to work as a resource center to provide professional development and ongoing technical assistance to all school health personnel employed in all schools throughout the State. Due November 3, 2020

The New York Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) is announcing availability of grant funds to fund one grantee to develop and deliver a statewide training for staff in the developmental disabilities field on supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Questioning (LGBTQ+) people with intellectual & developmental disabilities (IDD). Due November 23, 2020

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of State Assessment is seeking proposals to continue the development of the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests, computer-based and paper-based, and Provision of a Computer-based Testing Platform for the Grades 5 & 8 Science Tests. Due November 25, 2020

The New York State Commission on National and Community Service seeks applicants for 2021-22 AmeriCorps Competitive grant funding. (OCFS) Due November 24, 2020

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of State Assessment is seeking proposals to conduct Scaling and Scale Maintenance, Standard Setting, and Reliability/Validity Analyses of the New York State Regents Examinations and Elementary/Intermediate-level Science Testing Programs. Due December 8, 2020

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Women, Infant and Adolescent Health (BWIAH), announces the availability of funding for the New York State Comprehensive Family Planning and Reproductive Health Program (NYSFPP) to improve sexual and reproductive health and birth outcomes, partner with individuals to support their reproductive health goals, and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Due December 17, 2020

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is making funding available under the Apprenticeship Expansion Grant (AEG-2) to expand Registered Apprenticeship (RA) training by increasing employment opportunities for approximately 800 apprentices with a focus on underrepresented populations. Due March 26, 2021

Coming Up

The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on November 16 and 17.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on COVID-19 and New York States Libraries on November 19, 2020.

The Senate will hold a roundtable meeting to discuss maternal and child health in Upstate New York on November 19.

The Senate will hold a roundtable meeting to discuss the relationship between technology and domestic partner abuse on October 29.

The State Education Department will hold the following regional meetings on substantially equivalent instruction for nonpublic school students:

  • November 17: Rest of State
  • December 1: Manhattan, Staten Island & Bronx
  • December 2: Long Island & Queens
  • December 7: Hudson Valley
  • December 8: Parent, Student, Alumni
  • December 9: Brooklyn

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) will continue a series of public listening sessions to examine the potential integration of OASAS and OMH into a new single agency:

  • October 30: New York City
  • November 2: Southern Tier, Tug Hill, North Country, Mohawk Valley

The following State Board Meetings are scheduled to meet:

  • Peer Review Oversight Committee: October 28, 2020 (WebEx Meeting)

Respiratory Therapy: November 5, 2020 (WebEx Meeting)