| Dear Parents, The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is in the process of recruiting parents for two exciting initiatives—The Graduation Measures Blue Ribbon Commission and the Performance-Based Learning & Assessment Networks (PLAN) Pilot. A brief overview of both initiatives is included below. Parents would participate in small group virtual meetings approximately once a month. Please share the application form with parents of current middle/high school students that you feel would be interested in volunteering for this exciting opportunity to help shape the future of education in New York State. They can complete the application form at this link. If you prefer, you can also email us their name and email address, and we will send the application form. We appreciate your assistance. NYSED’s Graduation Measures Blue Ribbon Commission will be responsible for developing recommendations on potential changes to graduation requirements for all New York State students. These recommendations may include changes to the number or types of courses that students have to take, the number or types of assessments that students have to pass in order to graduate, and/or whether students should be required to participate in additional learning activities, such as work-based learning, community service, or extended projects (sometimes called capstone projects). Read more about the Blue Ribbon Commission. In support of NYSED’s Graduation Measures initiative, the Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks (PLAN) Pilot looks at how performance-based approaches can be implemented in a diverse range of schools, as part of an assessment strategy that incorporates multiple measures. The project will study how to best support schools and educators in shifting their instructional practices, with the ultimate goal of improved outcomes for students. The purpose of the PLAN Pilot Advisory Workgroups is to advise project staff on the design and implementation of this pilot program. Read more about the PLAN Pilot Advisory Workgroups. Thank you, The New York State Education Department |